Punctureseal and tyre pressure monitors

With regards a question in another forum about the operation of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) being fitted to modern cars how does Puntureseal and other tyre sealing gunk effect the operation of these systems?

A common implementation is a battery power wireless transmitter connected to a pressure sensor fitted on the valve stem inside of each tyre. Could the operation of the pressure sensor be destroyed by tyre sealing gunk?

If so it would probably result in a TPMS MOT failure and possibly an expensive repair bill if the sensor had to be replaced after a puncture repaired by the use of sealing gunk?

Reply to
alan_m
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No evidence of any problem so far with my car. You have to remember that punctureseal stays liquid and will flow to the lowest point when stationary or be flung out to the tread area when driving. The tyre valve enters through the rim a long way from the tread area.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

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Might be of interest to those genuinely interested to learn about the stuff. ;-)

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That may need more granular qualification ... In the bottle it's a (highly viscous) liquid and will flow out if you tip the bottle over ... but once 'installed', (where I agree it will initially flow to the lowest point in the wheel) and you start driving it will then be distributed around the inside the tyre, where it stays from then on. It stays because the volume has been reduced down to a level where it can be considered a liquid and is now sufficiently thin that it (because of the materials in the 'liquid' etc) is now more like a gel.

It's like if you pour a heavy oil onto a slight slope ... where there is sufficient volume of oil it will flow but where it's thinner, it generally stays (I'm sure the tribologists can explain why). ;-)

Yup (where it stays).

Sure, but to be fair to those interested, the sealant has to be installed though the valve stem and so there are some 'considerations' you might make just to minimise any risk of the sealant getting on TPMS.

eg, If you rotate the wheel so that the valve is at the 5 O'Clock position then you can be fairly confident the sealant will pass though the valve and fall down into the tyre rather than back onto the rim first (as it might if the valve was at the 12 O'Clock position).

But as you say, as soon as the wheel starts spinning even at 10 mph the centripetal force would probably throw any sealant that was on the rim, into the tyre (in the same way that stones loosely stuck in the tread rarely stay there as soon as you pick up speed).

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

But how do you get the gunk into the tyre in the fist place?

Reply to
alan_m

You just drill a hole...

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

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Without deluxe valve core remover. Remove dust cap. Remove valve core, watch where it flies off too (wear safety specs, maybe handy to have some spare). Connect pump using quick chuck (PDQ before you lose all the air). Deliver the shot of punctureseal. Retrieve valve core. Remove pump. Screw valve core back into valve body (PDQ before you lose any more air). Connect pump hose to return port. Pump some air into tyre to re-inflate. Clean valve stem and refit dust cap. Go Drive (right now).

With deluxe valve core remover (VCR). Remove dust cap. Connect quick chuck to deluxe VCR Connect deluxe VCR to valve stem. Using Deluxe VCR unscrew the valve core and retract it into the deluxe VCR. Deliver the shot of punctureseal. Screw valve core back into valve body. Remove pump, connect hose to return port. Remove deluxe VCR from valve stem. Pump some air into tyre to clear valve. Clean valve stem and refit dust cap. Go Drive (right now).

Reply to
Peter Hill

The point being made was that the gunk is in close proximity to the pressure sensor when being installed rather than only existing on the outer tread area.

Reply to
alan_m

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

I just ... (similarly) ...

Make sure the wheel has the valve at about 5 / 7 o'clock. Remove dust cap. Remove valve core (and hang on to it as you do). ;-) (I sometimes put an axle-stand or block under the axle so that it doesn't put the vehicle weight on the deflated tyre). Add the required dose using the bottle and tube or pail and measured dose pump. Run the corner of some kitchen towel though the valve stem to make sure it's clean. Re-fit the valve core. Re-inflate the tyre. Re-fit the dust cap.

Repeat x 3

Go for a little drive ... or (more sensibly), install the sealant before you are due to drive somewhere.

It nearly takes as long to type as it does to do. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

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