Tire bead and TPMs questions

[conesare2seconds]

Hi everyone. One of my (very new) rear tires has a slow leak. There was no obvious damage so I hit it with soapy water and turned up multiple leaks at the bead on the back side of the wheel. Is there a chance it’s anything other than a bead that got fudged up when the tire was installed?

Also, the tire was installed just before the Gathering and apparently didn’t start leaking until recently. What’s up with that?

Finally, the TPMS indicator never lit up. It illuminates when the key is turned to the run position,however, so no one pulled the bulb or taped over the lens. I wasn’t aware of a bypass procedure - any thoughts on why it didn’t alert me to the leaky tire?

[GOLDCYLON]

Hi everyone. One of my (very new) rear tires has a slow leak. There was no obvious damage so I hit it with soapy water and turned up multiple leaks at the bead on the back side of the wheel. Is there a chance it’s anything other than a bead that got fudged up when the tire was installed?

Also, the tire was installed just before the Gathering and apparently didn’t start leaking until recently. What’s up with that?

Finally, the TPMS indicator never lit up. It illuminates when the key is turned to the run position,however, so no one pulled the bulb or taped over the lens. I wasn’t aware of a bypass procedure - any thoughts on why it didn’t alert me to the leaky tire?

There is no bypass procedure for the 94. So with the bulb being present and no tape over the light it should be an operating system. Depending upon how many pounds were left is won't illuminate until you move the car once the wheel sensors is energized it reports back a condition as the piszo battery's in the bands are charged. I would get the tire remounted as the bead might not have been sealed correctly or some debries were caught in the process preventing a seal. These would be my thoughts.

[conesare2seconds]

Took the wheel & tire into work today (a national auto parts and repair outfit) where one of the techs cleaned some oxidation off the rim, applied a little bead sealer and verified the seal was airtight via a water trough. He said the cold weather probably backed the bead off just a smidge as the temps dropped and it isn’t an uncommon occurrence.

Strangely, he advised there was no TPMs sensor present. Not sure how I’m not getting a fault light if that’s the case. Anyhow, on to the next projects.

[GOLDCYLON]

When you get the light in the DIC in the prestart sequence before you turn the key which light illuminates? Low tire pressure ? or LTPWS ?

[WVZR-1]

Strangely, he advised there was no TPMs sensor present. Not sure how I’m not getting a fault light if that’s the case. Anyhow, on to the next projects.

I'd guess he was expecting the later style TPMS - you should get BOTH lamps when the BULB CHECK is done.

Ask the tech if he realized the TPMS is band mounted. I would have expected that he only released the bead from the seat sufficiently to clean and lube.

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

Took the wheel & tire into work today (a national auto parts and repair outfit) where one of the techs cleaned some oxidation off the rim, applied a little bead sealer and verified the seal was airtight via a water trough. He said the cold weather probably backed the bead off just a smidge as the temps dropped and it isn’t an uncommon occurrence.

Strangely, he advised there was no TPMs sensor present. Not sure how I’m not getting a fault light if that’s the case. Anyhow, on to the next projects.





Oxidation of the aluminum alloy wheel on a 25+ year ZR-1 is almost always a certainty!
Your tire tech did exactly the right thing!
Glad it worked out for you!
Marty

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

I'd guess he was expecting the later style TPMS - you should get BOTH lamps when the BULB CHECK is done.

Ask the tech if he realized the TPMS is band mounted. I would have expected that he only released the bead from the seat sufficiently to clean and lube.



I would bet your answer is 100% spot on correct!!!
That sensor is there based on his description of what he sees!
Many younger tire techs have rarely seen the band mounted TPMS, as 99.9% are all mounted on the valve stem now.
Marty

[GOLDCYLON]

I would bet your answer is 100% spot on correct!!!
That sensor is there based on his description of what he sees!
Many younger tire techs have rarely seen the band mounted TPMS, as 99.9% are all mounted on the valve stem now.
Marty



Good discussion Marty. having just replaced tires again on my 91 I'm know at Discount Tire as the guy who brings in complete demonstration tire band to show all the techs what 80's tech looks like. This has been a successful formula and the manager tends to use it as a training opportunity for all the 20 somethings.

[BlackZR1]

On a related note, when I recently bought a set of tires, I brought this diagram from the FSM to make sure they knew how to avoid damaging my sensors.

[conesare2seconds]

I only get the Low Tire Pressure lamp, I think. Checked it this morning, the lights only display for a second or so and I was having trouble reading them all, even with a few key cycles. Will consult the FSM, locate the position of the indicators, then recheck.