The Ford Barn

Bob Johnson · 07-14-2022, 07:06 PM

Please read the whole message before responding. Several weeks ago one of the tires on my Sedan was very low in air pressure. I pumped it up and the next day it was low again. I took out the tube and tested it for leaks. I could not find any. So I put in a new tube. I was checking it every time I drove the car. Today I was going to drive it and the tire was low (not flat but low about 10lbs). I exchanged the wheel/tire for the spare. I set the wheel/tire aside and inflated it to 40 lbs. A few hours later the pressure was down to 30 lbs. I took out the new tube and tested it for leaks by inflating it with enough pressure to make the tube almost twice it's normal diameter. I put it in water and did not see any air bubbles, including at the valve. I put the tube back in and inflated it up to 40 lbs. I checked the valve with soapy water and no bubbles. Initially there were bubbles coming out at the hole in the rim for the valve stem. I thought this might be air that was trapped between the outside of the tube and the inside of the tire. It has been about 1/2 hour since I inflated the tire and there are still bubbles coming out of the hole when I spray on soapy water. The bubbles appear at a rate of about 1 every 3 seconds. The wheel does have a rim liner and I ran my hand over the entire surface where the tube touches the rim and did not feel any sharp areas. The inside of the tire was made with lots of ribs so it was hard to feel for any problems. I have checked the valve stems on both tubes and I could not find any cuts or holes.

Now I have 2 tubes which test OK when out of the tire. And a tire/rim combination that appears to be creating slow leaks in the tubes.

HELP
Bob

07-14-2022, 07:06 PM	#1
Bob Johnson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: California Posts: 1,021	Very slow air leak in tire Please read the whole message before responding. Several weeks ago one of the tires on my Sedan was very low in air pressure. I pumped it up and the next day it was low again. I took out the tube and tested it for leaks. I could not find any. So I put in a new tube. I was checking it every time I drove the car. Today I was going to drive it and the tire was low (not flat but low about 10lbs). I exchanged the wheel/tire for the spare. I set the wheel/tire aside and inflated it to 40 lbs. A few hours later the pressure was down to 30 lbs. I took out the new tube and tested it for leaks by inflating it with enough pressure to make the tube almost twice it's normal diameter. I put it in water and did not see any air bubbles, including at the valve. I put the tube back in and inflated it up to 40 lbs. I checked the valve with soapy water and no bubbles. Initially there were bubbles coming out at the hole in the rim for the valve stem. I thought this might be air that was trapped between the outside of the tube and the inside of the tire. It has been about 1/2 hour since I inflated the tire and there are still bubbles coming out of the hole when I spray on soapy water. The bubbles appear at a rate of about 1 every 3 seconds. The wheel does have a rim liner and I ran my hand over the entire surface where the tube touches the rim and did not feel any sharp areas. The inside of the tire was made with lots of ribs so it was hard to feel for any problems. I have checked the valve stems on both tubes and I could not find any cuts or holes. Now I have 2 tubes which test OK when out of the tire. And a tire/rim combination that appears to be creating slow leaks in the tubes. HELP Bob