Slow Leak

[Grif]

I just bought a '92 ES300 from a family member and appear to have tire issues in my future. Apparently the chrome Lexus rims were ditched because they would not hold air (supposedly more porous than normal rims?) and when tubes were put in them they cut the tubes and cause major blowouts. So, now the car has OEM Lexus alloys as replacemenrts, and already I can see I'm losing air pressure.

I checked the FAQ and don't see anything on this, is this specific car cursed, or is this something "normal" for this vintage Lexus?

Solutions?

[jrross@greglogan.com]

I just bought a '92 ES300 from a family member and appear to have tire issues in my future. Apparently the chrome Lexus rims were ditched because they would not hold air (supposedly more porous than normal rims?) and when tubes were put in them they cut the tubes and cause major blowouts. So, now the car has OEM Lexus alloys as replacemenrts, and already I can see I'm losing air pressure.

I checked the FAQ and don't see anything on this, is this specific car cursed, or is this something "normal" for this vintage Lexus?

Solutions?

I have the same problem with my 97 ES300, I had to replace a new tire this week from driving on low tire. My rims are corroding so the tires wont stay sealed, rims are 6 years old. I am confused on how this can happen in a location where rim is not exposed to elements. Maybe yours are doing the same thing.

[steviej]

take them to a tire shop and have them apply some bead seal to them. It may slow the leak down. If it is really bad, then maybe it is time to replace the corroded rims. Your safety is riding on those rims.

sj

[bbsal]

i agree its not worth putting your self in danger on the highway with bad rims.if they cant seal the tire then they are no good to drive on.the bead seal like steviej said might help but you will still need new rims if its that bad.

[splipp]

I have a slow leak in a couple of my run flats on my new SC430 with no indication of any damage. Any hints?

[steviej]

splipp: Where are you located?

It is very cold, I mean very cold here in New England and that effects tire pressure. How much is your pressure down?

Tires lose air at a rate of 1 psi per month and 1 psi per 10° drop in air temperature.

Other than that it could be any number of things

valve stem leaking, either from pin or from around the base.

could be dirt imbedded in the bead.

could be a nail or screw in the tread.

could be a crack(s) in the rim(s).

or my favorite, cause we just had a rash of it here, could be neighbor hood kids letting air out of tires as a practical joke.

steviej

[splipp]

Thanks for the thoughts. I am located in Naples, Fl where the temp hovers in the 70-80 + range most of the winter. I have had the treads, sidewalls and valve stems checked to no avail, and we live in a very secure gated community, so the kids don't get at the car. I think you may be correct though; it just may be a slow loss over an extended period of time. The other possibility that just came to mind is that the dealer rotated the tires within the last two weeks, and perhaps they did something inadvertently. Guess I will just have to watch it closely for a while.

By the way, I have been carrying about 34 psi. Is that too much?

[dogboy]

Here is my take on this. The problem may be that your chrome wheels are flaking on the inside of the rim. The plating technology that was used a few years ago is completely different from the way plating is done today. You can look for a person that calls themselves a polisher. They will grind down the inside of your rimes and remove the chrome. Then they will glass bead the area that is ground down. Glass beading will seal the chrome edge and keep the chrome from peeling or flaking. With this procedure the tire bead will seal with the inside lip of the rim (problem fixed). You should pay about 20 to 25 dollars per rim. Also this will help with keeping your wheels in balance. With some types of chrome rims the tire will actually slip on the rim under heavy breaking and acceleration. Some common causes for this are age and using fix a flat. I do not recommend using the bead seal, it is not a permanent fix and just plain sucks. I hope this helps. Please feel free to e-mail me directly.