How to Locate A Tiny Air Leak In Your Tire

Nothing is more irritating than a slow air leak in a tire. The usual way of locating a tough air leak is to take the tire off and hold it underwater in a vat. The leak is where the bubbles will be coming from. But who keeps a large tub of water around the house? You may be able to use that method with the small tire on your wheelbarrow but what about those huge truck or tractor tires? Mission impossible, right? Here's a way to find the leak without taking the tire off....

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Armor-All Spray Container

1. There are three different areas where the "soft" leak can occur. The valve stem is the first place to check. Spray the Armor-All on the valve stem and watch to see if it bubbles up. If it does, you either need to tighten the valve stem or replace it, both very simple operations.

2. The second likely place where a slow leak can occur is around the tire rim. This tends to happen when the rims are bent, an event that can easily occur in rutted and neglected roads full of potholes. Pennsylvania leads the nation i ndeeply rutted roads. Many people believe the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is run by Vehicle Alignment Specialists. So spray the Armor-All around the entire rim, the place where the rubber meets the metal. Apply liberally and watch for small bubbles. You'll have to remember a tire has an inside rim and an outside rim. Yes, you'll have to block your tires and crawl under there. You might get dirty but you're likely to impress your neighbors with your auto savvy.

3. The third place where a slow leak is likely to occur is on the tire itself. If it's a big tire, you need to stock up on Armor-All (perhaps a generic brand?) because these are the hardest of all to spot. Once in a while, a nail in a tire will be visible to the eye but sometimes the nail heads wear down to the size of the sharp end of a needle. You can stare at the tire for hours without seeing the nail (and this won't impress your neighbors). So spray the Armor-All or similar product liberally over a visible quarter of the tire and examine for bubbles. Then work on another quadrant, and another, until you've finished.

Tips & Warnings

• This method will detect most leaks, especially valve and rim area leaks. While examining the surface of the tire, you may miss the leak unless you cover every bit of surface.
• It should go without saying but I'll say it anyway. Any time you crawl under a car, set the emergency brake, put the vehicle in park, and block the tires. If you're sensitive to fumes, you may want to wear a breathing mask and eye protection. I'm not sure whether these precautions will impress your neighbors or not. I guess it depends on your neighbor.