Cold weather = flat tire??

[APEXi240]

Weather has gotten colder today, and I've been noticing my tire loses a little air. In the summer it didn't loose any, but a couple of weeks ago it was cold for a couple of days, and it lost a little air. Today it was almost freezing and it lost a bunch of air.

I'm assuming it condensed somewhat due to coldness which brought on a slight leak somewhere? Tire still has a bunch of tread left on it, and I'd hate to have to get a new one.

I'm gonna take it to the tire center tomorrow, but perliminary analysis? I just don't like walking into a tire center blindly (or mechanic for that matter).

[fiznat]

its not that it loses air, its that the air thats in there takes up less space because it is more dense. air expands when it's hot/warm, so that explains why your tires seem full during the summer but lose pressure when they get cold.

dont take it to the shop... you'll act the fool! haha

[APEXi240]

nah, its definitly losing air (other tires are full).who's actin the foo now!

[fiznat]

oh dip. I guess it is in fact I who is acting the fool.

[Rex]

The cold air may make the same pressure actually be less and it's not uncommon for a tire to hold pressure when above a certain point. If you inflate them all to a few lbs higher than in the summer does it hold pressure then?

No foolin'

[APEXi240]

Ok, I guess I didn't explain well enough. All tires held pressure fine in the summer. As the weather began to cool my front passanger side had a slight leak. Today it was almost freezing and I get out of class to see it almost flat. Like it lost a lot of air and there was no air pump around my house, and its probably sitting outside flat right now.

Foos:D

[crzycav86]

Maybe its the normal wear and tear of the tire, and now its time to replace it. Maybe it just happened to be that this occured during cool weather.. but what do I know..

[Rex]

On my old beater 1 tire leaks down, but only in cold weather. It holds pressure fine in warm weather. Not sure how to explain it, but it happens. I never did anything about it, but I'm guessing a can of Fix-a-Flat would fix it.

[APEXi240]

Yeah, it's just the one tire, and it was slow, but tonight it got nuts...I gotta wake up early tomorrow to toss on the spare:angry7:

The tire is not worn, its only been on for about 8 months, less than 20k on it (Yokohama AVS dB). 205/60/15 on a stock rim...tire too wide?

I would be lazy like Rex and just keep refilling it, but it dropped sooo much tonight....Oh well.

[fiznat]

that doesnt make sense though... cause that heat/pressure thing still holds true... youd think if there was a small leak at all, more air would flow during the SUMMER when the air is at a higher pressure because of the heat.. thats weird how it flows out now that the air is more dense (if it is fact the cold thats making the difference). Maybe its got something to do with your valve opening in the cold, and not a leak?

[APEXi240]

Yeah, you know what even makes less sense? How my donut blew out today while I was doing 30mph. My car is stuck at our local Red Lobster until at least tomorrow morning.

This sh** only happens to me, I have the worst luck ever.

[Grant@tirerack]

Sounds like you may have a slow leak around the bead or valve. That would be my guess. In colder temps everything will shrink up a bit and make it leak faster. Try to air up the tire and spray it down with some soapy water. Check for air bubbles around the bead of the tire/wheel and the valve. It may be something as simple as a leaky valve.

[APEXi240]

Haha, sorry fiznat, not the valve.

I had to inflate it to swap it, to at least drive the car home so it didn't get towed, made it home ok (partially because I overinflated the tire for the 10 minute ride). But when I was putting it one I heard where it was coming from (due to overinflation). It was coming from where the rubber meets the rim (is this the bead?).

[fiznat]

[deleted]. I'm just gonna stop responding to this thread now I think haha

[Grant@tirerack]

That would be the bead area. Take if to a local shop and have them pull the tire. It may be something as simple as a roughed up spot on the bead area of the rim. Sometimes that can be smoothed out for a better seal.