I don't know what the rest of the country has been experiencing lately but here in southern New England, we've gone from 60 degrees to 20 and back to the high forties today.

I got caught a couple of weeks ago with a TPMS alert in the S2000 and this weekend, the XC90 tripped a sensor on one wheel. So, I put all three cars out in the 24 degree weather for a few hours Sunday and filled the tires to 34-35 PSI.

I'm pretty good about checking tire pressure weekly but this weather has been all over the place. The extra tire pressure was noticeable in all three cars but the XC90 really benefitted with a lift from ~30 PSI to 35. I think the high profile SUV tires flex more at low pressure and feel mushy more easily than low profile tires.

So, if you haven't checked em lately grab a guage and go freeze yer a$$ off.

 

I need to do this, it's been about a month since I last checked. We've had the same kind of weather lately.....never know what tomorrow's gonna bring haha

 

I usually keep my tires 3-4 psi over recommended, also I usually adjust them as the temp drops and while I am shopping for a G, I love the fact that my TL reads out each tire on the screen so I can keep an eye out before they trip anything. Takes 5 seconds for me to check all my tires befroe every drive. Now if Infiniti woudl add that ....

 

try nitrogen fill. Less pressure change related to temperature

 

Who told you that?

A gas is a gas is a gas. Air contracts and expands the same regardless of the composition for the temperatures a car will see.

 

I have the opposite problem - temps dropped into the 40s here, aired up my tires. Now temps are back into the 80s, which means I'm probably 2 or 3 pounds high...

 

Not true! Pinto gas is more persistent than navy bean gas while cabbage + broccoli will trigger the gag reflex much faster no matter the outdoor temperature.

 

LMAO

I do agree though; nitrogen fill will not be any less susceptible to temperature related pressure changes. Any chemistry buffs wanna chime in? How about helium to reduce weight. haha

 

nitrogen fill would be better since it does not contain any ambient moisture like regular air. Anyone want to do the math? I'll give you the equation

Ideal Gas Law

P*V = n*R*T

P - pressure
V - volume
n - moles of gas
T - temperature (Celsius)
R - ideal gas constant

Remember n, R, and V are constant. Solve for P.

Helium, while a good idea to reduce weight, would be a bad idea for safety. One tire ruptures with a small spark and you'd be driving the Hindenburg.

 

I think Nitrogen is a crock to some extent, there were several articles posted that in consumer tires you can't evacuate all the air so the Nitrogen only occupies a percentage of the volume so you never really have a true Nitrogen fill only partial.

 

78% of the air is nitrogen.

I do check my tire pressure and oil once a week among with some other checks. 5 minutes all it takes and save you a load of hussles.

tg

 

Here's one article. I tried nitrogen about 4 yrs ago while I was up north and it seems to have less pressure loss.

http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6291735.html

Since air, which contains oxygen, is not an inert gas, it is affected by changes in temperature, which affects the rate of air loss from a tire. The air inside a tire expands when heated and contracts when cooled. More air is lost in hot weather. The consensus is that for every 10-degree-Fahrenheit change in temperature, there will be a 1-psi change in the pressure of a tire. Nitrogen will not fluctuate as much. Being an inert gas — not readily changed by chemical reaction — nitrogen provides constant pressure and is less susceptible to accelerated diffusion caused by changing temperatures.


It's not a huge change in pressure but but I find I'm adding less with nitrogen.

 

I was under the impression that one of the big benefits of using Nitrogen was that it didn't "leak out" as fast...

 

+1 - i share your view.

 

What?
ROFL... I love this place!!!

BTW, Helium is an inert gas. It's not flamable.
It's used in welding applications as a shielding gas as well.