Replaced green valve caps

[y_p_w]

Yeah - I got 'em at Costco where they have a membrane nitrogen generator on site and don't charge extra for it. I suppose they'll also refill for free if I ask, but the wait can be crazy sometimes. I actually noticed my folks bought a set of tires somewhere and paid $8 per tire for nitrogen.

I have no problem that they used nitrogen, which I understand is typically drier and maybe 98% nitrogen tops. Of course I know the alleged benefits are dubious. So I found I had a few black plastic caps (not enough though) stashed in my center console and swapped them out. There's just something about them that I don't like. They look weird.

 

[huffmuds9320]

Kind of interesting when I work on other peoples car and I see the green valve caps. I ask if they got their tires from Costco, they say yes how did I know. Then when I mention that they fill the tires with nitrogen many have no idea what it is. I have not gotten tires at Costco before since the wait is too long so I just go to a local tire shop instead.

 

[Trav]

I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.

 

[djb]

I was expecting someone to bring up the "better" claim.

Typically nitrogen fill is "better" because "it doesn't leak out" or some variant.

If that were true, overfilling by 25% and waiting for the leak-prone gasses to diffuse through the rubber would be equivalent. But that's not what happens. Pretty much there is equal diffusion of oxygen and nitrogen, and there isn't enough of anything else to matter.

If moisture is the concern, filling with 150psi shop air is a good solution. Even if moisture saturated at 150psi, it will be very dry at 32psi.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
There's just something about them that I don't like. They look weird.


They tell the whole world you bought your tires at Costco.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.


Maybe, but Costco will save you money on tires. I don't think they charge extra for the nitrogen (and the caps).

 

[Traction]

Plain black plastic caps,without a rubber seal are bad for aluminum TPMS sensors, along with any chrome valve cap that isn't plastic. There are 2 different green valve caps. One does not have a o-ring in the cap, and one does. Whatever valve cap you use, just make sure on TPMS to use a plastic valve cap that has a o-ring seal to keep water out, so the valve core doesn't corrode to the valve stem. Plus with a good valve cap it will seal, even with a leaky valve core. I have also seen aluminum caps corroded to the brass threads of rubber stems, that will not come off.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Traction
Plain black plastic caps,without a rubber seal are bad for aluminum TPMS sensors, along with any chrome valve cap that isn't plastic. There are 2 different green valve caps. One does not have a o-ring in the cap, and one does. Whatever valve cap you use, just make sure on TPMS to use a plastic valve cap that has a o-ring seal to keep water out, so the valve core doesn't corrode to the valve stem. Plus with a good valve cap it will seal, even with a leaky valve core. I have also seen aluminum caps corroded to the brass threads of rubber stems, that will not come off.

Mine is pre-TPMS.

I've even noticed that REMA sells green caps of the normal variety. The call the green one "nitro-green".

http://www.rematiptop.com/parts.php?sid=30

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: Trav
I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.


Maybe, but Costco will save you money on tires. I don't think they charge extra for the nitrogen (and the caps).

But spending a dollar on replacement caps can spare a minor embarassment.

 

[earlyre]

Many of the dealers around here have purchased the nitro-fill systems. So when you buy a car from them, or have them put tires on your car, they have been nitrogen filled,most using the green caps.

The tires on my Sable were nitro filled by the selling dealer, but they used "chrome" valve caps, with N2 inscribed on the end in green.

 

[fdcg27]

Not really.
Green caps are the norm for tire shops that tout nitrogen inflation.
They may tell the world that you got taken on a set of tires, but not where you bought them.
Costco isn't all that cheap a place to buy tires either, as anyone who shops around has found.
Their service is fine as long as nothing that a real tire shop would have no problems dealing with comes up.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Not really.
Green caps are the norm for tire shops that tout nitrogen inflation.
They may tell the world that you got taken on a set of tires, but not where you bought them.
Costco isn't all that cheap a place to buy tires either, as anyone who shops around has found.
Their service is fine as long as nothing that a real tire shop would have no problems dealing with comes up.

I don't care if anyone knows I got my tires at Costco. Their employees are about as good or bad one average than any other place. They have competent and incompetent personnel. I just don't like the look of an obvious speck of green on an otherwise black/silver wheel, as well as the possible hinting that I'm a mark who is willing to pay extra to inflate my cars with generated nitrogen.

 

[GatorJ]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.


Then you need to learn more about it.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: GatorJ
Originally Posted By: Trav
I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.


Then you need to learn more about it.

Is there really enough of a benefit to justify paying $8 per tire to inflate or maybe $5 to top off? I have no issue if it's included, but for a passenger car tire I rather value the flexibility to adjust the tire pressure anywhere without having to worry about "contaminating" it with regular air from the atmosphere.

I certainly understand that race cars are using pure nitrogen. However, they're not using these commercial generators that produce maybe 93-98% pure N2 output. They're using pure nitrogen from bottles. And also aircraft tires have been brought up as an application where nitrogen is used. However, these aircraft are often at high altitude facing extremely cold temperatures, in addition to risk of fires (not an issue with passenger car tires). And they're also not using these commercial generators.

 

[sciphi]

78% nitrogen is good enough for me.

 

[Roob]

It doesn't bother me, I like the color green!!!!!
Nitrogen isn't expensive at all around here, costs $10-15 max and that's lifetime fill. You also don't have to have green valve caps if you don't want to look weird...
Everyone has different perspectives on it, good and bad or just a gimmick, however there are benefits.
Check the link if interested, lots of studies, facts and science...

http://www.getnitrogen.org/deepscience/

As long as your tires are properly inflated, that's what counts..

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I wonder if thy have a different color for winter and summer air also?
Jk. Every time i see these little green caps i know there is a sucker behind the wheel.


Don't assume that... our Ford came with them from the factory.

 

[exranger06]

Occasionally, someone comes into the Napa I work at looking for valve stem caps. Sometimes we only have the green ones in stock, and the customer usually doesn't care, so we'll sell them the green ones. They may or may not have nitrogen fill in their tires.