deflation

[sad old git]

Hello. My old car (10 years) is suffering from a couple of ailments at the moment peeling paint and deflating tyres. I'm not bothered about the paintwork as I can probably sort that out but the tyre pressure drop 20psi/ four days is becoming an annoyance. I have checked the tyres in question for nails,cracks splits etc and have found nothing to cause this problem. I have since been informed that the problem is that the alloy wheels on my car are prone to corrosion on the inner wheel rims thus pushing the tyre bead away from the rim and causing a slow leak.Does this mean that I have to take my car to a place of ripmeoff to get the rims cleaned or are there some alternative methods such as some kind of sealant sprayed into the tyre to stop the problem. Thanks for any help.

[Hopkirk]

I had a problem with some original equipment Vauxhall alloys, and I'm sorry to say I can't give you good news.

Over the years I had treatments that were supposed to seal them properly, and paid to have the edges ground to get a proper seal. While each improved things, it never solved the problem and each time it got worse again.
I have heard it said that alloys can become porous, so it may not be the rim where the problem is.

I had to check the pressures regularly and keep topping up.

I eventually solved the problem by selling the car for scrap (OK, it was worn out)

The experience has made me vow not to have alloy wheels again, and certainly not Vauxhall ones.

[sad old git]

Thank you Hopkirk for your quick reply. I guess I'll just have to pump them up every four days and as you say: so much for alloys,won't do it again.

[sir.prize]

This is worth a read

http://www.saabscene....Really-Is-there-a-fix

[ChuckFickens]

When this happened to my last car I just took it to a tyre place, they removed the tyre and took a wire brush on a drill to the inner rim lip and it sorted the problem for the next 3 years at least (until I got rid of the car)

[jesyca]

i had the same problem with my alloys only last month , go to a tyre place and ask them to bead seal them, it costs approx £7 per alloy and everything is fine afterwards, dont pay more than that for each wheel though as some of the main tyre places charge much more, so shop around, it only takes about 5 mins per wheel,

[sad old git]

Many thanks to all for your replies. I guess I will just keep pumping along till the wheels drop off.All the best to you all

[johnk]

Have you got a big enough tank, trough, bath to put them in? Fill up with water and see where the air is escaping. 20 psi / 4days is a lot of leakage.

[sad old git]

Sorry Johnk I wasn't very clear with my explanation.I should have said that the tyre in question drops from 28psi to 20 psi in about four days.It seems to stabilise at that pressure but of course that is too low and so I pump it up again.It was originally on the front offside but I have now changed it for a rear wheel which maintains 30psi with no problems. Just have to keep pumping I suppose.Thanks again for your help.