Our 2013 Cmax has one wheel that wont hold pressure. Dealer could not find pressure leak. I remember that Mag wheels were known for leaking air back in the day. I don't know what the composition of the Cmax's wheel is. I suspect the cast wheel has hairline crack, or very small voids that the air is escaping thru. Can't use slime as that would foul the pressure sensor. How to determine where the air is escaping thru.
"Mag" wheel - Tire Pressure Loss
- Thread starter borgward
- Start date
- Status
Did they remount the tire already?
Submerged tire in water. No bubbles. Pressure goes down over a week or so. All the others hold.
+1 on the soapy water. Spray the entire tire and rim with the soap solution. Let it sit while you keep looking (both sides) every 15 minutes. Make sure to keep applying some soap solution so it does not dry out.
Have you thought about a bad valve stem? They can be a real pain so spray that as well.
Have you thought about a bad valve stem? They can be a real pain so spray that as well.
My money is on a faulty valve stem as themost likely culprit, after that a porous rim.
The above is.based on your comment of mot seeing any bubbled when submerged in water..
HTH!
The above is.based on your comment of mot seeing any bubbled when submerged in water..
HTH!
Originally Posted By: borgward
Our 2013 Cmax has one wheel that wont hold pressure. Dealer could not find pressure leak. I remember that Mag wheels were known for leaking air back in the day. I don't know what the composition of the Cmax's wheel is. I suspect the cast wheel has hairline crack, or very small voids that the air is escaping thru. Can't use slime as that would foul the pressure sensor. How to determine where the air is escaping thru.
Most likely aluminum alloy, commonly referred to simply as "alloy wheels". That's the case for the vast majority of cast/forged/machined wheels these days. Magnesium alloy is rare these days because aluminum is generally more durable.
Strangely enough, Formula 1 specifies only two magnesium alloy materials.
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/technical_regulations/8712/
Our 2013 Cmax has one wheel that wont hold pressure. Dealer could not find pressure leak. I remember that Mag wheels were known for leaking air back in the day. I don't know what the composition of the Cmax's wheel is. I suspect the cast wheel has hairline crack, or very small voids that the air is escaping thru. Can't use slime as that would foul the pressure sensor. How to determine where the air is escaping thru.
Most likely aluminum alloy, commonly referred to simply as "alloy wheels". That's the case for the vast majority of cast/forged/machined wheels these days. Magnesium alloy is rare these days because aluminum is generally more durable.
Strangely enough, Formula 1 specifies only two magnesium alloy materials.
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/technical_regulations/8712/
Get a spray bottle of warm soapy dish water. You will be able to find it. A week is a fast leak compared to some you can get.
Stop playing with a safety hazard and get the wheel replaced if the valve stem is not the problem.
Originally Posted By: wymi516
How much air loss over a week? Did this start happening recently?
From 38 to 25 psi. Been going on for a long time. I was not aware of it until recently. Not my daily driver. Apparently my better half had just been filling it up on a regular basis. One night she asked me to air it up as we were going somewhere. You would think the sensor would display low pressure way before it got down to 25 psi.
How much air loss over a week? Did this start happening recently?
From 38 to 25 psi. Been going on for a long time. I was not aware of it until recently. Not my daily driver. Apparently my better half had just been filling it up on a regular basis. One night she asked me to air it up as we were going somewhere. You would think the sensor would display low pressure way before it got down to 25 psi.
My first set of mag wheels were bought back in the 1960's. Back then problems with porous castings were fairly common. To protect against air loss through a porous wheel we would spray zinc oxide primer (yellow in color, used as a rust preventative primer) on the inside of a rim before mounting the tire. Never had a problem with air loss.
This is real common on 20 year old vehicles, but I can't imagine that on something so new.
If it was a 10 year old vehicle, I'd say the bead was corroded causing the leak.
If it was a 10 year old vehicle, I'd say the bead was corroded causing the leak.
Have them take off the tire and carefully wire brush all the corrosion off the rim. Replace the valve stem and remount the tire.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Have them take off the tire and carefully wire brush all the corrosion off the rim. Replace the valve stem and remount the tire.
Corrosion on an alloy wheel?
Neither of my 2 sets (9 alloy wheels) ever lost ANY air.
Have them take off the tire and carefully wire brush all the corrosion off the rim. Replace the valve stem and remount the tire.
Corrosion on an alloy wheel?
Neither of my 2 sets (9 alloy wheels) ever lost ANY air.
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: Donald
Have them take off the tire and carefully wire brush all the corrosion off the rim. Replace the valve stem and remount the tire.
Corrosion on an alloy wheel?
Neither of my 2 sets (9 alloy wheels) ever lost ANY air.
Donald and I are in NY. Once a set of wheels are exposed to a few winters, they leak around the bead.
I own 3 sets of alloys for my vehicles. 3 of the wheels total (12) leak around the bead.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Have them take off the tire and carefully wire brush all the corrosion off the rim. Replace the valve stem and remount the tire.
Corrosion on an alloy wheel?
Neither of my 2 sets (9 alloy wheels) ever lost ANY air.
Donald and I are in NY. Once a set of wheels are exposed to a few winters, they leak around the bead.
I own 3 sets of alloys for my vehicles. 3 of the wheels total (12) leak around the bead.
I'm questioning that alloy wheels CORRODE....they can be scratched, scraped, dented and such...all of which can compromise the bead....but CORRODE?
Well I guess they can...
http://www.kwicksilverrimrepair.com/services/detail/corrosion_repair
Well I guess they can...
http://www.kwicksilverrimrepair.com/services/detail/corrosion_repair
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: borgward
Submerged tire in water. No bubbles. Pressure goes down over a week or so. All the others hold.
You need to do that again Patience is a virtue. You are looking for a pretty small leak, one that is going to be hard to find and could possibly be spread out over a large area, so bubbles appearing on the surface of the allot wheel might be you only clue.
But this is a 2013 - wouldn't this be covered by warranty?
Submerged tire in water. No bubbles. Pressure goes down over a week or so. All the others hold.
You need to do that again Patience is a virtue. You are looking for a pretty small leak, one that is going to be hard to find and could possibly be spread out over a large area, so bubbles appearing on the surface of the allot wheel might be you only clue.
But this is a 2013 - wouldn't this be covered by warranty?
If you are in central texas, take it to discount tire.
They will tell you exactly what is wrong with it.
If there is a patchable damage in the tire, they will repair for free, and do it the right way.
They will tell you exactly what is wrong with it.
If there is a patchable damage in the tire, they will repair for free, and do it the right way.
- Status
Similar threads
