Air in tires worn out?

btroy

After 4 years of happy driving, I noticed recently
that the ride in my car just wasn't what it used
to be. Realizing that I'd never changed the air in
my tires, I drove to a service station and put in
a completely fresh charge. It has really seemed to
help, but in checking my owner's manual, there is
no recommended interval for this service. Does
anybody know how often this should be done? It
sure is an easy and inexpensive way to keep that
"new car" feel.

floridian

btroy: Plain old "air" is out. The in thing now is filling your tires with nitrogen. This is the "next big thing" I even hear that Starbucks is planning to open a chain of "air purging stations". For only $29.95 they will remove all the old common air and replace it with non- oxidizing, environmentally friendly nitrogen. In and out in 10 minutes guaranteed. A complimentary cup of expresso is included tho you do have to bring your own cup.

A stylish decal is placed in you rear window so all your friends will know that you are as trendy as they are. For a slight extra charge they will also install a designer set of gold valve caps. What a deal.

Floridian

btroy

Floridian, thanks for the great tip! I can always count on you for good advice. You remind me of one of my personal idols, Dr. VanNostrom.

I still don't know how often to have this service done, but with pure nitrogen, I imagine that it lasts practically forever. The Starbucks people will probably know. Hopefully they will have one of those helpful decals for my windshield like the one I need to change my oil.

mazda323

Would you also suggest flushing out the interior of the tire with propane, before neutralizing it with the nitrogen???

Sorry, couldn't resist

rs_petty

The manual also does not describe the routine maintenance for your stereo system. You must every 15,000 miles or annually inject a full can of squelch into the antenna receptacle. This will keep all your radio stations tuned in correctly.

spnx

Oh my.

Is there a prize for the oddest thread? ;-)

mazda323

Don't forget the Vaseline on the windshield wiper blades. This will help to 'rejuvenate' and enhance the performance of the rubber blades.

olegphil

Isn't there anough anti-wrinkle cremes for all our windshield wipers?!

spnx

Just a disclaimer for the naive.

Don't believe everything you read.

ESPECIALLY here, in this topic ;-)

btroy

RS Petty, thanks for the tip on keeping my radio maintained. I wasn't aware of the updated procedure. Up 'til now I've been occasionally turning the volume up to the maximum setting to blow the crud out of the circuits, especially on the stations I use most often. I have to go to the parts store anyway for a left-handed wrench, so I'll pick up a can of squelch and give it a try. Does anyone know if it works on Fords?

mazda323

If the old K-car ain't quite up to par, try mixing 12 heaping table spoons of sugar in a full tank of gas. As we all know, sugar, a complex carbohydrate, is full of energy. When mixed with gas, the energy from the sugar's molecular structure will disperse in the gasoline by a process known as the Van-der-Whals transgender phenomena. The resulting mixture, rich with carbon, will greatly improve a K-car's performance.

mljackson

Ford service manual used to say radios required a special Squelch - Type F in accordance with ASTM Spec 000-FFUTS-HCUS-ON. Try your local Walmart.

rs_petty

The reason cloth interiors are quieter than leather/vinyl is the fact that the surface is designed to capture noise. Much like the surface of commercial ceiling tiles. As your car ages the fabric fills up with the noise and is not able to absorb as much. That's why an older car is not as quiet as when new. It is a little known detailer secret to use a powerful vacuum (at least 6.0 hp) with a special noise enveloping membrane adapter (very expensive) to vacuum the seats. This will remove all noise that was captured and return your vehicle to like new condition.

dhanley

One very clever trick is to put your air intake into a big bucket of water. Start the engine. This will suck water into the cylinders, cleaning them out. You engine will need to work a bit harder to compress the water, so you should be sure to gun it as soon as you start, or better, rev it way up, THEN put the air intake in the water!

Make sure to run it for awhile afterwards to to clear out the water from the system, make sure the tailpipe doesn't rust!

A modification is to add some soap to the water to do an extra good cleaning job. A high-quality expensive herbal soap will let your engine know that you really care.

This will help your engine's mileage tremendously--in fact, you will swear afterwards that it uses no gas at all!

dave

lancerfixer

Also, when working on your electical system, don't let out the magic smoke that carries the electrons happily on their way.

btroy

That tip on boosting power by adding high-energy sugar to the gas tank was great!! I rushed right out and tried it and it was truly awesome!! Unfortunately I had an unrelated problem with my fuel system that the dealership is working on now, so I haven't been able to enjoy the power boost too much yet, but as soon as I get my car back I'm gonna sweeten 'er up again and really flog it!

As far as the tires go, I received an even better tip for improving performance. My mentor was explaining how both air and pure nitrogen are too compressible to be an ideal filling material for auto tires. Air works well on lighter applications like bicycles, which is how it originally came to be used on cars, but the greater weight of modern cars requires something stronger than these relatively weak gasses to hold up the weight (especially under hard cornering, etc.). He explained how all the NASCAR and Formula 1 teams are filling their tires with water because it is less compressible than air so the tire holds it's shape under hard use. The added weight also really holds the tire down on the pavement so the traction is unbelievable. In the winter the benefits are even greater because the water freezes, so it's ability to hold it's shape is just that much better. (side-note to "Floridian:" sorry, but your tires may not freeze in Florida- you may want to experiment by adding firming compounds like jello or concrete) If you want your car to perform like it's on NASCAR, this is definitely the way to go!

Thank Goodness I have so many friends who are so smart about cars. Keep all these great tips coming! We finally have a topic that is really useful to the average gear-head.

floridian

btroy: We have discovered a problem with the frozen water system, however the Florida League of Orange Producers (aka as F.L.O.P.)are working on the problem and will have a solution available for the mass motoring public soon. I will post the the details in the next day or two. Please standby.

Floridian

bill11770

I tried the 12 heaping teaspoon of sugar mix in my gas, the vasaline on my wipers, and water in my tires..... all i can say is........

I DEFINATELY NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IN MY CARS PERFORMANCE!!!!!

floridian

btroy: our field research team from F.L.O.P has just returned from Valdez, Alaska and have solved the frozen water problem we encountered. It was found that when frozen, and not perfectly concentric to the rotation, severe vibrations were set up. NASCAR can well cope with this problem as their tires can be "spun frozen" (ta
kes special equipment)This is not a practical soluton for the mass mototring public. The remedy is to keep the water in a liquid state.

F.L.O.P. has found the answer! By filling the "tyres" (British) or "Tars" ( American, Southern)with unpasteurized orange juice. The O. J. soon ferments,turns to alcohol and thus will not freeze. As a secondary benefit it was found that the organic components (seeds and pulp)of the juice act as a self-sealent material and will seal punctures up to .062" in diameter.

As son as F.L.O.P. gets permission from the Feds (A.T.F. guys)about the production of alcohol on such a massive scale they will be able to proceed. They are working on a suitable design "tax stamp" that will have to be affixed to all tires using this technology. We should be able to get "tanked-up" by this time next year. just goes to show that good old American know-how can solve ANY problem. Eat your hearts out japan & Korea the "good ole boyz" from the South have once again shown the world the way to go.

Floridian

rea98d

Take your tires off your rims, and hop the car up on the train tracks. Next train comes by, you're on your way non stop to your destination, and you don't even have to steer! This means you can eat, sleep, read a book, or do just about anything in your car while the train pushes you along. Especially good if you get on the super fast TGV tracks. For monorails, just remove tires on one side of the car.

For those of you who prefer the old fashioned style of driving, here's a tip to better lubricate your engine. Replace your motor oil with gasoline. Gas has a lower viscosity, and will workitself into all the tiny spaces in our engine, better lubricating it. So much better, in fact, I swear it will be the last oil change your car will ever need!

mazda323

Here is a great way to increase the life span of your alternator, battery and other electrical systems, specially in cold places like Alaska.
In cold weather, special care must be taken in defrosting the front and rear windshield and heating the interior of the car. This puts a great strain on the electrical system of your car. The blower and the rear defroster use a lot of power!!!
This cost effective solution will solve the problem: all you need is a garden hose, duct tape, a few T connectors, a utility knife and a drill.
The idea is to recuperate the heat from the vehicle's exhaust and use it to warm the car's interior. Cut a 10 foot section from the garden hose and duct-tape one end to the exhaust, making sure you have a good seal. Drill a hole in the floor pan of the vehicle and snake the other end of the garden hose into the passenger compartment. Using a T connector, it is now possible to split the hose into two feeds; one for the front windshield and one for the rear. Proper care must be taken: make sure all connections are seal properly with the duct tape! It is possible to run the hoses under the carpet to keep the OEM look of the vehicle. Additional hot feeds can be added to the basic system to deliver heat anywhere in the vehicle; use your imagination. For maximum efficiency, all windows must be rolled up.

btroy

I've never thought of recuperating the exhaust for heating, but that is one of the best ideas I've ever heard. If I were you, I'd patent that idea and start thinking of things you are going to buy with your inevitable fortune! One enhancement I'd be willing to pay extra for would be some kind of remote feed. Like maybe a 20-foot section of hose available outside the car that could be attached to a respirator. During the time you are scraping all the ice and snow off of the exterior of your car, the nice warm air is being pumped directly into your lungs to keep you warm from the inside-out. That way you wouldn't have to wait to enjoy the benefits that await you inside the car.

mazda323

why even bother scraping the ice in the first place! Simply use the remote external hose attachement to your windshield to melt the ice. The warm exhaust fumes will rid your windshield of ice in a jiffy.

btroy

Whenever I need to melt ice off of the windshield in a juffy, I just take off all my clothes and lay on the windshield. It sucks all the heat out of my body which does a great job of melting the ice! Squirming and rolling around a little bit also help. If it's early in the morning, try not to wake the neighbors with that initial shriek. Once you get used to the sensation, you may find that you miss it in the summer.

wilcox

Actually, a acquaintence down the street who is a university professor (physics) has experimented with tires and a gas called Helium.
He vacumed his datsun's 210 tires with a lab vacumn pump and filled them with Helium.
He claimed that one of the test results was that he got 10% gas mileage increase and it slowly decreased over a month period until it disappeared. He said that it took about $30.00 worth of helium to do this!.

btroy

Did he look like Luke Skywalker floating around in that sand speeder of his? That would be pretty cool.

btroy

Anybody looking for an alternative to all that waxing to take care of your car's finish? Here's a tip: try applying a coating of brake fluid over your entire paint job. It's supposed to be really good for the paint and since it's *brake* fluid, it's bound to be able to really *stop* the UV light. Give it a try! What could it hurt?

btroy

If you are having trouble finding a source for brake fluid to coat your car with, you can just drain it out of your brake lines. Refill with rubbing alcohol. It's cheaper and better than brake fluid for your braking efficiency.

edwardh1

The nitrogen in the air has a lower molecular weight than oxygen, and over a very long time (year or so) will migrate through the rubber. This leaves the heavier oxygen gas (molecular weight 32) insidethe tire, causing a harder ride.

marsha7

dairy aisle in your local auto parts store, near the gallons of milk and orange juice, and, once monthly, purchase a gallon of amps for the car's battery. Since most batteries are now sealed, first use a dull drill to drill six holes in the top of the battery, being sure to be close enough to the posts to produce sparks. Then, pour EQUAL amounts of amps from the container into each of the six holes. Tip: it may help to also purchase six small measuring cups, each with a capacity of 1/6 gallon. Seal the holes airtight with masking tape. Drive away for another month. No fuss, no muss, no bother for Mom.

mazda323

Can anyone help me. The horn on my car is broken. Is this also a case of bad air?

rea98d

A goat farmer friend of mine told me that a broken horn will regrow itself in 2-3 years. Like most things automotive, if you ignore it long enough, it goes away! (I scribbled the last post for a typo...sorry:-)

markbuck

Serious answer to your question, whack the horn with the handle on a screwdriver while somebody is holding down the button. Sometimes gets it to working again....

pblevine

HA: Take idea of using water in the tires needs a bit of a modification. See, when water turns to ice, it retains its shape. So, jack your car up on all four corners and then fill your tires with water.

But don't just use any water. It should be New York City tap water. Best in the country. And for you performance hounds, you can add my special Jello shock resistant tire-water adative. The extra slow bounce gives the tires better protection against pot holes.

And for real speed freaks, our racing water should be used. Consisting of NYC tap water plus Dawn dish washing liquid, this stuff really gives you the slip. And the bubbles, ahh!

So remember: Pot for every chicken and the gas for free!

woodytx

I have a 1970 Scout in which the heater fan didn't work. One day, as I crossed a cattle guard at about 40 MPH, a squealing sound started. It sounded like a bad bearing, but was constant. As it petered out, I finally realized that the shock from hitting the cattle guard got the heater fan working. Since then, I've been hitting all sorts of things, (trash cans, mailboxes, elk) trying to get the other systems up and running.
Try it, it's fun!

pat84

After trying nitrogen, water, orange juice and Helium in my tires, I tried Methane. The results were so impressive, I now keep 4 pigs in my trunk for a source of Methane for my tires. I am thinking about cutting a small hole in my gas line to use some of the methane as an alternate fuel source. My electric drill is discharged since there was a run on amps at my auto parts store from a previous post. I'll just use my cutting torch. By the way, you could probably get 6 or 7 pigs in a pick up truck.

mazda323

This is a true story from my days as a lube tech at a quicklube (Canadian Tire PitStop). It fits nicely in this topic.
A customer came in for an oil change with a old full size rwd car (can't remember for sure). While working on his car, the customer handed me a banana and requested that I stuff the banana in the car's differential!!! He told me it helped keep the differential from whining. I did my best to stuff the banana in through the diff's check plug opening. As a precaution, I wrote on the work order what he requested, in case something blew up on his car.

pat84

I believe you. The guy may have been going through a divorce and his soon to be ex-wife was getting the old banana in the differential treatment on the car she was getting as property settlement. I am curious, did you peel the banana before stuffing it in the differential ?

mazda323

Yes, I had to peel the banana first. It was fairly ripe so it went in easily enough. But the smell that came out of the diff!!! The best way to describe it would be as banana loaf mixed with burnt gear oil and vomit. It was VILE.
And to say that, as a lube tech, I only made minimum wage. With all the crap lube techs have to put up with, they should be making double!!!
Next time you go to a fast lube, pat84, make sure to give the lube tech a dollar tip. That'll just about double his hourly wage and ensure your car's safety.
PS Sorry about that last paragraph. I just get a little nostalgic sometimes.

btroy

That reminds me of the old trick of pouring a raw egg into the radiator to stop a leak. Ground pepper is supposed to work, too. Maybe we need a separate topic for food-related repairs.

rea98d

Theoretically, the raw eggs will cook inside the radiator and seal the leaks. In practice, they also tend to seal off any other part of the radiator they happen to be in when they get cooked.

btroy

True, but if you ever got really hungry while sitting in traffic, you'd have something deilcious to fall back on!

woodytx

A friend of mine had a cracked block (water jacket, I think) for a Jeep I-6. He put a half-pound of pepper in the radiator, and the block stopped leaking. 30,000 miles later, he sold it.

It seems like pepper is all it's cracked up to be.

tpmiller1

Pepper up before dumping in radiator?
Us chefs want to know.

woodytx

He used a can of coarse ground black pepper from the grocery store. Don't use red pepper; I don't know if anyone out there has accidentally boiled tabasco or put red pepper in boiling water, but it's instant tear gas. There's an old Army trick using tabasco and MRE heaters that will clear out a tent faster than bad gas. Don't know about the eggs, though. If it leaks, phew!

pat84

Many newer cars have plastic overflow bottles attached to the radiator cap. Can you imagine what opening the hood after all the eggs and pepper, mixed with antifreeze floating in the overflow bottle must smell like. I know I've been behind some of these cars; I blamed catalytic converters.

mazda323

A few years ago, I had the unfortunate luck of working the day a customer brought in his old VW minibus to get the transmission fluid dropped and refilled. Apparently, his transmission was overheating due to loss of lubrication. I didn't know much about old VWs so naturally, I was a little reluctant. The customer told me he was familiar with his minibus and would point out the proper plug to pull. He had also brought his own tranny fluid because, as he told me, his minibus required a "special kind of fluid". A simple enough task, I thought! Was I ever wrong. The "special kind of fluid", I discovered, was in made from whale oil! Fresh from the can, I had an very unpleasant fish smell. But when I pulled the plug to drain the old oil from the tranny, I was totally unprepared. I accidently took a whiff of the clumping oil in the drain pan. The smell was so horrific that I vomited on the spot. After regaining my senses, I hit the switch for the exhaust fans and proceeded outside for some fresh air. I remained outside for a few minutes, along with the customer. Even from there, I could smell the burnt fish oil coming from the drain pan as the exhaust fans successfully distributed the putrid odor in the atmosphere. Only after hosing down the drain pan (and my puke) with the hose from outside and waiting another 15 minutes was I able to go back inside. I don't think that anything can compare to the smell of overheated, burnt whale blubber rotting in a VW tranny for a few thousand miles. I would rather bathe in septic tank than risk smelling that again.
BTW, at least I got a nice tip for this.

woodytx

Let's see if I can describe him...

Did he have any tye-dye curtains in the Bus? Dreadlocks? Smell of Pachouli oil? Wear sandals?

Or was he the bearded, pipe-smoking, tweed-jacket-with-elbow-patches professorial type?

I've gotta know....

pat84

My candidate description is a Makah Indian,with hair in a ponytail. He was missing some toes and/or fingers. He most likely had incredibly bad breath from eating boiled seal, and was in need of a bath.

mazda323

I don't remember what the driver of the VW minibus looked like. I have remained permanently scarred since that event. Now, every time I see a VW minibus, I get this nauseating feeling much like the one I get when I smell or think of peach schnapps.

pat84

I must have missed a post. What is the automotive use for peach schnapps ? Removing carpet stains leaving a nice peach aroma ?