I just filled up my tires and, two days later, my right tire is losing pressure. I’ve checked the tire for leaks and don’t think the tire itself needs replacing, so my next guess is the tire valve stem is leaking. How do I fix a tire valve stem leak?
Rachel Juillerat · Answered on Feb 18, 2022
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Fortunately for you, fixing a tire valve stem leak is both easy and cheap. You just need to purchase a replacement tire valve stem and a valve core tool. A pack containing both of these items is on Amazon for less than $5!
To replace the leaking tire valve stem, do the following:
Note: If you notice corrosion on the old stem, be sure to clean the interior threads of the tire stem on the tire.
While this is an easy and cheap fix, there are some car fixes you may need assistance with, so it’s always a good idea to invest in a solid car insurance policy.
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ca BlogSkip to content “A tire only loses air if it’s punctured.” This is a common misconception that we have all had or heard and yet the reality is quite different. Indeed, a tire can lose air even without a puncture, as for example in the case of a crack in the valve that is used to inflate your tires. A punctured valve is difficult to detect, and not taking care of it in time can have real consequences for your tire, but also (and above all!) for your safety. Blackcircles Canada, your online tire specialist, offers below a complete guide to the causes and consequences of a punctured valve, and how to repair a leaking valve stem.
A valve is a pin located on the outside of the tire, through which the tire can be inflated/deflated. It has a mechanism consisting of a spring-mounted valve that closes tightly with the air pressure inside the tire. Over time, the stem valve may become brittle and cracked, which may increase the risk of air leaking through it.
When the stem valve leaks, the affected tire is no longer able to retain air. Depending on the extent of the damage, the air will leak out slowly or more quickly. In both cases, the valve must be replaced.
If the air leakage is slow, you will be subject to the problems encountered by drivers driving with underinflated tires. Internal damage that can shorten the service life of the tire by up to a quarter, increased fuel consumption due to higher rolling resistance: the tire will damage faster, and your energy-efficiency will be significantly lower. The tire will also have poorer traction and the stability of your car will be reduced when cornering, not to mention the more pronounced deformation of the tire that increases its internal temperature, which can cause it to burst. Finally, an under-inflated tire increases the risk of hydroplaning. Tire pressure is thus very important!
First of all, make sure it is the tire valve stem that is leaking. To do so, there’s a very simple trick! Apply a mixture of water and dishwashing soap to the valve with the cap removed. If bubbles start to appear, your valve is leaking. If this is not the case, and there is a definite air leak, it will be located elsewhere on the tire.
Step 2: Gather the right tools before you start!Before you begin, make sure you have all the necessary equipment to complete the replacement of the faulty valve stem.
For this, you will need the following:
You are now ready to start the process!
Step 3: Loosen the nuts on the wheel you are going to work on.
To do so, use the wrench mentioned in the previous step to loosen each of the lug nuts holding your wheel in place. Do this while the car is still on the ground.
However, for certain models of vehicles, it is possible that the wheel nuts have an anti-theft ring. If this is the case, you’ll have to use the appropriate special key to remove the locking nut(s).
Step 4: Raise your vehicle with the jack and then remove the wheel.First and foremost, make sure the handbrake is applied so that your vehicle is completely immobilized. Then, use your jack to lift your car. Be sure to position it on the right part of the chassis so that the car is properly supported. This will prevent any damage to the car and any bodily injury. Once your car is lifted, secure it on jack stands. Unscrew the wheel bolts completely, then remove the wheel. Finally, place the wheel on the ground flat, with the outside of the wheel facing up.
Step 5: Remove the valve stem core with the removal tool and let the tire deflate.
If you have not already done so, remove the valve cap. Then remove the valve stem core using the valve stem removal tool to release the air from the wheel, which should normally deflate completely on its own.
Step 6: Separate the tire’s bead from the wheel.For this step, use the sledgehammer in the following way: hit the tire sidewall with the sledgehammer in the same spot until you hear a crack or popping sound, and see the inside lip of the tire visibly break loose from the rim. This means that the tire has been successfully detached from the lip of the wheel.
Once the tire bead has been broken, continue hitting with the sledgehammer around the tire to detach the sidewall around the entire circumference of the wheel.
Step 7: Remove the tire from the rim.Once the sidewall of the tire is separated from the outer edge of the rim around the entire circumference of the wheel, insert your tire iron between the edge of the rim and the inside lip of the tire, and then pry upward to pull the lip of the tire over the edge of the wheel.
Once you have pulled the lip of the tire over the edge of the wheel, work the tire iron around the rim until the entire lip of the tire is off the rim.
Once the sidewall of the tire is completely above the wheel, grab it by its removed lip and pull it upward so that the opposite lip that was at the bottom of the wheel is now touching the top edge of the rim. Use your tire iron again by inserting it between the tire’s lip and the edge of the wheel and pry upwards to pull the lip over the edge of the rim. As before, work the tire iron around the edge of the wheel until the tire is removed from the wheel.
Step 8: Remove the defective valve stem and replace it with the new one.Once the tire is separated from the rim, it is time to remove the valve stem. To do this, first pull out the valve stem free from the wheel using the needle-nose pliers. Once this has been done, install the replacement valve stem from the inside of the wheel. Once it is in position, use the needle-nose pliers again to pull it through into its right place on the wheel.
Once the stem is in place, it is time to put the tire back on its rim. To do this, start by pressing the tire down over the rim until the bottom bead clears the edge of the rim. The aim here is to return the lower sidewall of the tire to its original position on the wheel.
Then press the upper sidewall of the tire down underneath the edge of the wheel. Then tuck your tire iron between the tire sidewall and the rim edge and use it to make the opposite movement to the one you used to pull the tire sidewall out of the rim. Once the bead clears the lip of the wheel, use the tire iron to work your way round the entire wheel until the tire is completely installed on the wheel. Then inflate it to the correct pressure using the air compressor.
Step 10: Make sure there are no other leaks, and mount your wheel back on!Once the tire is inflated to the correct pressure, check for other leaks.
If all is well, mount the wheel on your vehicle and bring it down by lowering the level of the jack stands until the repaired wheel touches the ground and you can safely remove them.
Ultimately, it is very important to make sure your tires are free of air leaks to maintain proper air pressure at all times. In the case of a slow air leak, the consequences can be dramatic. If the air leak is due to a faulty tire valve, you will definitely need to replace it. You can either follow the above procedure on how to repair a leaking tire valve or take it directly to a specialist. If, on the other hand, you need to change the entire tire, consult our selection of tires adapted for your car directly online on our website!
Tire Installation 101: When and how to change your tires?
In this guide we will explain how to change a tire valve so that people with any mechanical background can attempt this repair.
This guide assumes that you remove the wheel from the vehicle. Refer to this manual for wheel removal instructions.
Nipples serve the simple purpose of being a duct for inflating tires, but they come in many varieties. If you want to replace a nipple, you need to know what types exist.
Here are some types of nipples:
Now let's see how the nipple is replaced.
You can do the replacement at home as a do-it-yourself repair job.
But it is difficult to separate the tire bead from the wheel on your own.
Instead, it's best to have repairs done by professional mechanics or tire dealers. Otherwise, you risk injury or further tire damage.
With that said, what tools do you need to replace?
© shutterstockYou will need:
So, how to replace the nipple yourself :
Installing a replacement nipple is not always possible. Sometimes you will have to purchase a brand new tire.
© shutterstockHere are some common causes of nipple failure:
If you have a bleed nipple, you will have a slow leak that is hard to find.
A tire leak can be dangerous while driving. You risk an explosion that could cause you to lose control while driving.
If you have a defective nipple, take it to a professional tire shop as soon as possible or have a field mechanic come to your driveway and help you.
Alternatively, if you have a leaking tire, you can remove the flat tire and replace it with a spare tire. But you probably still want to fix a damaged valve on your main tire.
Another change season is approaching. And you may remember that on one of the tires after the last winter/summer there is a jamb - a small bump.
I don’t want to run to the store for the sake of one new tire. We understand. Or maybe it looks even better if repaired?
Yes, not every wheel that has met with a nail, rebar sticking out of the ground or a sharp stone on the road is considered damaged. Everything, of course, depends on the scale of the damage and its location on the tire itself. Some are easily repaired, while others are simply impossible to do - the tire can only be sent to the trash.
A bulge on a wheel, referred to by drivers as a bump or bulge, is the most common tire sidewall defect. It appears due to a collision with an obstacle or after falling into a pit, more often at high speed. The threads of the sidewall carcass are easily damaged by impact, and the tire at this point can no longer hold the load and air pressure - swelling appears. A small bump sooner or later turns into a big one, and driving with such a defect is dangerous - the wheel can shoot at any moment. At high speed, this is fraught with loss of control, departure from the road and a rollover.
The quality of roads in Kazakhstan contributes to the appearance of bulges on tires
Some types of bulges are repairable, although this is a temporary measure. Not a single patch can restore the factory rigidity. Ideally, change the tire.
Special cord patches can extend the life of a tire with a herniation, even if the swelling has appeared on the tread. The sidewall is a different story. If the swelling appeared at a distance of more than 40 mm from the side, it can be repaired. If not, then the wheel needs to be replaced. Blisters on low profile tires are most often non-repairable.
For maximum safety when riding with a repaired bump, insert the tube. This is an inexpensive and reliable solution. On our market, you can find cameras made in China and Russia, the latter are slightly more expensive, but also of better quality.
The elimination of a side cut is a serious operation, therefore, as in the case of a bump, you will have to go to the professionals.
We need cord patches, fortunately in our time they are of different sizes and with a different number of layers. And if you do it wisely, then you can't do without special tools and vulcanization.
A cut, by the way, cannot be healed in all cases. If the gap is in the shoulder area of the tire, it is unlikely that anyone will undertake to repair it, since no guarantees can be given here. However, our Kulibins take on even the most difficult cases, cutting out parts of the sidewalls from the tires and even weaving the cord on their own.
Tire overhaul. We would not put such a wheel on ourselves
Low profile tires can be repaired, but more difficult. A tear in the sidewall is easier to seal on tires with a medium or high profile.
Sometimes a cut is confused with a pluck. This is when the outer layer of the sidewall caught on something sharp, a tear formed, but the frame itself remained intact. There is nothing wrong with that, although the drivers at the tire fitting company successfully repair the cut, for which they take it accordingly.
If a piece of rubber remains on the sidewall, then glue it with ordinary superglue (101st). If it came off, then it is better to cover it with raw rubber and vulcanize. Leaving the pluck bare is not recommended, because the tire carcass, often consisting of a metal cord, will quickly corrode.
In Europe, defective or used tires are perforated before being sent for scrap to prevent their resale and possible operation. But they don’t know that we have such holes on the sidewall patched once or twice
Cuts and hernias are not the only possible damage to the side of the tire. You can also spoil the side ring, in the process of changing shoes, for example. If it’s for garlic, then such a tire is already dangerous. Sooner or later, the tire pressure and the load in motion will start to squeeze the rubber off the rim - a wheel explosion can occur.
This ailment is repaired if the wire ring - the base - is intact.
There are no special technologies and materials to correct this particular problem, but most often craftsmen use a two-component composition for chemical (also called cold) vulcanization. After mixing, the mass is pressed into a fat-free damage. Compound manufacturers recommend waiting 72 hours before mounting a tire. Of course, our masters do not pay attention to this condition - they put the tire right away. And it’s good if the wheel is flat because of this at night in the parking lot, and not on the road.
If the side ring tears are barely noticeable, but the wheel still deflates, then you can use a special liquid - a bead seal designed to seal a tubeless tire.
These seals have been used in motorsport for some time. In particular, in the American Formula D Drift Series, drivers used compounds to keep the tire on the rim even with minimal tire pressure. Now they are banned.
Pay attention to the left rear wheel of the Nissan Silvia S13. Due to too low pressure, it was literally taken off the disk under load
Every schoolchild has faced this problem when patching the inner tube of his bike after hitting something sharp.
Repairing a car tire puncture with your own hands will also not be difficult even on the road. But for this you will need a pump (or compressor) and a universal tire repair kit with harnesses. All this is sold at any car market or gas station.
Repairing a tire on the side of the road with harnesses
The process is simple. If we are talking about the front wheels, then in most cases the wheel can not even be removed, it is enough to turn the steering wheel in the right direction, find the puncture site and carry out repairs. First, the hole is cleaned with a helical awl from the set. The tourniquet itself is smeared with glue and tucked into the eye of the awl, after which it is inserted into the tire hole. With a sharp movement, the tool is removed, and the tourniquet remains in place and clogs the hole. The tails are cut with a knife, but not at the root, it is recommended to leave about 20 mm. The tire is inflated and checked.
Sometimes a nail or self-tapping screw clogs the hole by itself, remaining in it.
If you see a hat in a tread, do not rush to pull it out. While the pressure is holding, move to vulcanize. And sometimes they drive with a screw in a tire for weeks.
Repair of a puncture at a tire shop
Punctures are also repaired with harnesses at a specialized service, although among professionals such repairs are not considered long-term. After a few months, the flagella dry out and can let air through. There are more advanced methods like cold and hot vulcanization. The latter is more reliable. In this case, the hole is sealed with an elastic patch, and the funnel from a foreign object is filled with a special compound. After that, a vulcanizer is put on the tire, it heats up the rubber and solders it.
In addition to the plaster, the puncture is also repaired with special cord fungi. Craftsmen process the puncture site: drill it and treat the surface with a tool to roughen it. Then the repair area is lubricated with glue (it is also called cement) and a fungus is introduced.
This is done from the inside of the tire. The cap of the fungus is rolled, and the excess legs are simply cut off from the outside.
Puncture repair with sealant
With the advent of tubeless wheels, and later run flat tires, many automakers began to abandon spare wheels. Instead, repair kits with compressors are supplied with the machines. A repair kit is essentially a bottle of pressurized sealant. Later, such spray cans began to appear on the shelves of ordinary car dealerships.
This method has not taken root in the CIS, because the condition of the roads makes it necessary to have at least a stowaway in the kit, but it can also be considered as a method of repair on the road.
The car must be jacked up and sealant must be pumped into the damaged wheel through the nipple. Next, you should spin the wheel, then pump it up, lower the car and drive a few hundred meters. If the tire tightness has not been restored, repeat the procedure.
For commercial vehicles, cutting the tread with a special device (regrower) is a common thing. Moreover, such tire retreading is provided by the factory (marked REGROOVABLE on the sidewall) to increase the service life. But there are entrepreneurs who undertake to deepen the grooves in tires for passenger cars. But they are not intended for such an operation. Often used tires for sale are “refreshed” in this way. Be careful!
What is the danger?
The worst option is that the retreaded tire will shoot out on the road, as the master can damage the undertread layer when deepening the grooves. Such a tire will not be able to hold pressure at some point. There will be a boom! At best, the tire will indeed last a little longer, but is the game worth the candle? We think it's not worth it.
How is cutting done?
A regrower is used to cut the tread.
Roughly speaking, this is a large soldering iron with interchangeable tips of various shapes. It goes through rubber like a knife through butter.
If the tire is for passenger cars, then it is worth taking on a regrower only in one case - when part of the tread pattern was welded with "new" rubber during repair. This is where threading comes in handy in order to restore the grooves and symmetry of the tread.
Vehicle operation is prohibited if:
— tires have a residual tread depth of less than 1.6 mm;
- tires have punctures, cuts, ruptures that expose the cord, as well as delamination of the carcass, delamination of the tread and sidewall;
- tires in size or load capacity do not match the car model;
- tires of various sizes, designs (radial, diagonal, chamber, tubeless), models, with different tread patterns, winter and summer, studded and non-studded, new and restored, are installed on one axle of the car;
— Tires retreaded according to the second repair class are installed on the front axle.
