I am losing about 1 to 1.5 psi a week in one of my front RE050s just now, and it is getting a tad annoying having to pump it up every 3-4 weeks when I use the car.

I have taken the wheel off, and bar some very small cuts in the tread blocks which I can't tell how deep, nothing obvious.

The independent tyre fitters I normally use were suggesting it is more likely due to lacquer on the alloy rim deteriorating and leakage occurring. Their solution was to remove tyre, do something to the rim (not sure if this meant rubbing the rims down and applying lacquer of some kind ) putting on some sealant and sticking the tyre back on.

Does that seem like the sensible solution? I was a bit unsure about them mucking about with the rim in case it damaged it, although the car is no garage queen so if it is not especially noticeable I don't care how it is sorted.

There is plenty tread left on the front tyres so I don't plan to change them until I wear them out ( sometime in 2012 probably )

 

Sounds like a load of to me. I have never, ever heard of that...not that I know everything of course.

How much did they intend to charge you for this?

BTW, I'd pump your tyres up every week, even if it' only loosing 1.5 PSI

 

My Primera has a slow leak on one wheel, and the tyre place told me it was corrosion of the alloy. They charged me £20 to put some sealant round it "which will fix it", but it made bugger all difference.

16" wheels must be 10 a penny these days.

 

rover/mg rims were renouned for the alloy leaking air. not sure on their fix, but i think it was a re-lacquer rather than new alloy.

never heard of an s2000 alloy going porous though - i'd be more tempted to go with leaky valve, or tyre.

 

I would let it down and whack a can of tyre weld in there

Then post up on here and wait for all the new owners and 'net nerds to tell you precisely what day of the month you will die on.
Because it says so on Google.

 

Why?

 

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me, I've had the same problem before, albeit on another car with some really scruffy alloys.

Have they had the wheel off yet? They need to do the soapy water test first, though I would be surprised if a 1psi a week leak would show up.

 

[QUOTE=euan,Dec 17 2009, 10:22 PM] Why?

 

There are no hedges in my garage

 

Sorry, misread your OP...had a cat in the way

You'll be fine pumping it up when you need to drive it Might want to keep a pump in the boot just in case you get caught short.