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Leaky tire?

E

EddieM

Guest
Guest
Alright. Rear tire apparently has a slow leak somewhere. I've used SNOOP (leak check solution) to check the valve core, around the valve stem and along the bead on both sides of the tire. No evidence of leaks. There are no penetrations in the tread or sidewalls that I can see. The tire is an Avon Venom with about 3000 miles. About the only thing I can think of is to remove the whell and put it into a tub of water to check all of the tread area. Any ideas? Eddie 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
I haven't done this mind you, but it would seem to me you could put it up on the center stand and put a bucket of water underneath the tire so that a couple of inches of the tire were submerged. Put some dish soap in the water, rotate the tire slowly and look for bubbles.
 
I agree, under water is the best way to find small leaks. On our little Honda that my wife rides it had a leak so small that even under water the bubbles were so tiny they were hard to see. But it doesn't leak any more.
 
Might also be that you need to upgrade your tire air. It's spring time after all. http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=45
 
Something that I've done is to deflate the tire then re-inflate to 15-20 lbs over the desired pressure then reduce the pressure to the desired poundage. Testing it in water is clearly the best way but can be tedious to accomplish. Switch to Spring Air when you re-inflate the tire too. ;)
 
Thanks, guys. I'll try Jim's deflate-then-reinflate trick first. Hopefully that will take care of it. If not, then I guess it's into the tank! I don't need to change out the air. Down here in Florida, we use all-season air ;) Eddie 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
When I can't find a slow leak easily, I make a small bowl of soapy water solution and with a 1 inch paint brush, I wet the tire section by section and eventually see the bubbles... I think the bubbles are much more apparent this way than when dunking the wheel and tire in water.
 
Something often overlooked is the schrader valve itself. If the valve is re-installed too tightly the gasket could seat improperly and develop a very slow leak. I'd pull the valve clean the insdie of the stem and replace with a new valve before doing any leak test. Could be the issue and if not at least you've narrowed things down a bit. AKA "2linby" That's 2-lin-by folks! Northwest Area Director COG #5539 AMA #927779 IBA #15034 TEAM OREGON MC Instructor http://community.webshots.com/user/2linby http://tinyurl.com/njas8 (IBA BunBurner Gold Trip) http://tinyurl.com/lwelx (Alaska trip)
 
I make a small bowl of soapy water solution and with a 1 inch paint brush, I wet the tire section by section and eventually see the bubbles
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+1 a gob of spit on the valve will show up any leak, spit has just the right surface tension :) If you wipe the bubble flat, its really easy to see if it has a slight concave shape after 1 minute. :) Colin Prior Cogmos Administrator Lake Forest Park WA COG#7767
2606714340100596652OGFlOW_th.jpg
 
OK, here's an update. Tried Jim's deflate-inflate tip and replaced the valve core per 2linby's suggestion. Thought I had it licked, but no such luck! Still leaks down slowly, ~3PSI or so per day. I now have the wheel and tire off the bike and am going to do some more checking. Next is dunk the thing in a BIG bucket of water or soap the whole thing. Any other ideas? This is turning into a royal pain! Thanks. Eddie 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
Found it! There is a teeny little hole in the tread area. It was almost too small to see. Guess I'll try to take it somewhere to see if they can repair it. If not, guess it's time for a new tire...CRAP! Thanks for the help guys! Eddie 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
I know it's not the best answer but use some "slime" in the tire. I had a plug that would not totally seal on it's own, but with the slime she closed right up. Used it till the bike died, about a thousand miles. Yuma,
 
For a very small hole in the tread area, I would have an inside patch installed by a car or truck tire specialist. That's if you can dismount the tire and bring it without the wheel. I did it in the past and hadn't any problem later.
 
Well, I got it plugged. Couldn't find anyone who wanted to patch it. Damned lawyers! So, I've got a new tire on order and I'll keep this one as a spare. It's holding air, but I've got some distance rides coming up and don't want too many doubts. Thanks for all the ideas and tips. Eddie Sanford, FL 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
I know it's not the best answer but use some slime" in the tire. I had a plug that would not totally seal on it's own, but with the slime she closed right up." Just a note about the above statement. "Slime" will harm alloy wheels. We got a lot of ATV's in the shop that slime had eaten away at the wheels that some wouldn't hold air. Read the label, It has a warning.
 
This is a quote from SLiME's website FAQ, found at: http://www.slime.com/faq.html
I've heard that SLiME will ruin my rims? Our SLiME Sealant for tubeless tires is formulated with rust and corrosion inhibitors as well as a pH buffer making the product more alkaline. All of these ingredients work to protect the integrity of your rim. It is important to note there are factors which can allow damage to occur in spite of this. If you want to err on the side of caution, you can use SLiME as a roadside repair. All you need is SLiME and an air compressor! SLiME can have an adverse affect on certain types of aluminum rims. Because alloys differ, it is difficult to predict how SLiME will react with your rims specifically. Over the years, though, we have found that older rims are more susceptible to damage from SLiME. Make sure that, if you have tubeless tires, you are using our tubeless formula. Our inner tube formula does not contain rust and corrosion inhibitors. Do not leave SLiME inside your tires for more than 2 years. After that time, we cannot guarantee the integrity of your rims. If pre-existing damage is present, we do not recommend using SLiME.
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OK, that's got MY attention.....
 
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