What are the chances? flat tires

[wastintime]

Hey everone... well, this is a weird one.

About a month ago the air pressure was about 10 lbs low in my left rear tire, so I filled it up and no air seemed to come out of it, including on a track weekend! Yesterday however I took the car out to drive it and immediately felt something was wrong, and the left rear was 20lbs low. I filled it back up, and now exactly 24hrs later it's 3lbs low. So it's got a slow leak obviously. I'm mad enough trying to figure out what to do about that, when I realized

two weeks ago the left rear (same tire) of my Subaru was low by almost 10lbs. So I'd filled it up, and sure enough it's 7lbs low after just checking. Every other tire on both cars is exactly where I set them cold.

I don't know why this bother's me so much, but I may need to get two tires fixed now, and they leak so slowly and intermittently... it makes no sense. And the same tire on both cars...? I guess I'll probably just end up taking both wheels to Sears and see if they can find a leak and patch them. Still... it's weird.

lol, thanks for listening to me grumble guys...

[rick-l]

Hey this ain't rocket science.

Did you take the tires off and inspect for nails/punctures? That typically happens to me when I see that kind of leak.

Spay some cleaner like Formula 409 on the valve cores and see if bubbles start to form.

I have had good luck with the cord type patch you push in with the T handled ($6 kit) tool. 7 for 7 success rate although the purists will say even punctures in the tread that I fixed like this should have been tossed. Auto zone also has a valve core tool with about 5 cores for $2 if that is your problem. They screw in and out.

[wastintime]

no punctures.... no leaks... not that i can find anyway, lol, i forgot to add that on my old 911, the only two flats I had were both left rears within 1 day of each other... it's just weird thats all

[earlyapex]

Andy,

I've had 3 nail punctures in the past 10 months on my 996. I hope that ends it for flats for awhile!

[azasadny]

Do you drive near any construction sites? That's how I got my two flats...

[Zeke]

Take the wheels off and put them in the bathtub when your wife isn't home. Find out what is wrong before you go to Sears or any other place for that matter.

The reason is so that the tire is not unnecessarily dismounted. Might save you some money too. For very small puctures, the plugs work fine. the soapy water around the valve stem is the first thing I'd do. Someone might be messing around with your wheels.

[Rufblackbird]

if the cars aren't in the garage...any chance you pissed someone off?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I ruined 2 new tires once because the tire shop didn't put new valve stems in. First on went, it was pretty destroyed on the highway, so we figured debri, etc. Put another new tire on, that one went in a day.

New valve stem, fixed.

Shop paid for 2 new tires.

It could also be tire gnomes. check for those too.

[Gordo2]

I feel your pain,

For the past 3 years I have lived in 2 different areas that have considerable housing construction. In both areas I have wound up with nails and screws in my tires.

I intended to buy a new set of skins for my 911 since the ones on my car were rather worn. Meanwhile, I opted for a cheap set, knowing I would be fuming if I ended up with nails in a nice set of tires. Sure enough, one month after buying the cheaper new treads I ended up with a nail in one.

Similar situation on my wife's car.

Do you have construction in you neighborhood or along your normal route? Don't know how it happens but stuff ends up on the roads.

Good luck, Gordo

[David Goodman]

I'm with Jeff on this one. The left rear tire is the one closest to the bushes.