Green tire valve caps

[Thegeek]

Only matters in racing applications where the tires really heat up.

If she's having to fill her tires more often.... she has a leak.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Maybe there's something on the market I don't know about, but I've seen the green-yellow-red valve stem caps on motorcycles and they are pressure indicators only. If there's a valve stem cap that registers the percent of nitrogen I haven't seen it.

 

[rhino]

Maybe there's something on the market I don't know about, but I've seen the green-yellow-red valve stem caps on motorcycles and they are pressure indicators only. If there's a valve stem cap that registers the percent of nitrogen I haven't seen it.

I have two of those left! I lost one and one died of natural causes.

I fill my tires with pure carbon dioxide, though. It's my contribution to sequestering carbon, and thus saving the Planets. THE PLANET.

 

[JettaKnight]

I have two of those left! I lost one and one died of natural causes.

I fill my tires with pure carbon dioxide, though. It's my contribution to sequestering carbon, and thus saving the Planets. THE PLANET.

Such an environmentalist!

I inject all my beer with CO2 then consume it. Thus sacrificing myself for the good of the planet.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

My TPMS light has started staying on as of just a few days ago, despite all my tires being at the proper pressure. Are these kind of like the "check engine" light that can come on for something as simple as a gas cap not being put back on tightly enough? In other words, would disconnecting my battery for a minute or so reset it?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

My TPMS light has started staying on as of just a few days ago, despite all my tires being at the proper pressure. Are these kind of like the "check engine" light that can come on for something as simple as a gas cap not being put back on tightly enough? In other words, would disconnecting my battery for a minute or so reset it?

Our Bonneville used to have a reset function - found it in the owners manual. Every time you level off the tire pressure where it belongs, sit the car on level ground with the engine running in park, then there was a dash procedure for resetting it. That system registered differences in the handling of the vehicle to alert you of low tire pressure.

 

[dusty88]

My TPMS light has started staying on as of just a few days ago, despite all my tires being at the proper pressure. Are these kind of like the "check engine" light that can come on for something as simple as a gas cap not being put back on tightly enough? In other words, would disconnecting my battery for a minute or so reset it?

My TPMS light has been stuck on for a few months along with a warning that something is wrong with the monitoring system.

Big hairy deal.

The last time it was in the shop I told them "no I don't want to fix it." Salescritter said "but that light will stay on"
I said "until the bulb burns out. I just wish it would burn out as fast as the taillight I replaced."

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Our Bonneville used to have a reset function - found it in the owners manual. Every time you level off the tire pressure where it belongs, sit the car on level ground with the engine running in park, then there was a dash procedure for resetting it. That system registered differences in the handling of the vehicle to alert you of low tire pressure.

I'll have to check my manual. I'm not aware of a reset button or anything, but that's not to say there isn't one. It's a 2011 Hyundai.

My TPMS light has been stuck on for a few months along with a warning that something is wrong with the monitoring system.

Big hairy deal.

The last time it was in the shop I told them "no I don't want to fix it." Salescritter said "but that light will stay on"
I said "until the bulb burns out. I just wish it would burn out as fast as the taillight I replaced."

My check engine light on my old Dodge pickup comes on for awhile and then goes back out. I'm not too concerned about that either.

 

[rhino]

The check engine light has been "on" on my Silverado for about the last 200,000 miles. Heh.

 

[Informed Decision]

Nitrogen & argon are inert gases which mean they don't expand or contract from temp changes. It does not support life. Enclosed spaces like a garage can cause concentration to high levels but it would take a lot. Nitrogen makes sense in racing but not every day driving. As I understand it those caps are pressure indicators for folk who don't have a tire gauge or are too busy (lazy ) to ck the right way. 78% nitrogen filling would still allow for temp changes to affect tire pressures.. I think someone 'a getting took there. I suggest checking pressures regularly with a tire gauge. I've never had a vehicle that does the monitoring so I'm not up on them so I would use the tried & true method.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Nitrogen & argon are inert gases which mean they don't expand or contract from temp changes. It does not support life. Enclosed spaces like a garage can cause concentration to high levels but it would take a lot. Nitrogen makes sense in racing but not every day driving. As I understand it those caps are pressure indicators for folk who don't have a tire gauge or are too busy (lazy ) to ck the right way. 78% nitrogen filling would still allow for temp changes to affect tire pressures.. I think someone 'a getting took there. I suggest checking pressures regularly with a tire gauge. I've never had a vehicle that does the monitoring so I'm not up on them so I would use the tried & true method.

Yep, "someone" is... The air we breath is ~78% nitrogen...

 

[actaeon277]

Nitrogen & argon are inert gases which mean they don't expand or contract from temp changes. It does not support life. Enclosed spaces like a garage can cause concentration to high levels but it would take a lot. Nitrogen makes sense in racing but not every day driving. As I understand it those caps are pressure indicators for folk who don't have a tire gauge or are too busy (lazy ) to ck the right way. 78% nitrogen filling would still allow for temp changes to affect tire pressures.. I think someone 'a getting took there. I suggest checking pressures regularly with a tire gauge. I've never had a vehicle that does the monitoring so I'm not up on them so I would use the tried & true method.

78 % Nitrogen is air.
They are saying that they are filling their tires with air.

 

[CHCRandy]

NOS or NOS...it makes a difference

Epic thread warning:

Bike won't start after using NOS fuel additive : Suzuki GSX-R Motorcycle Forums: Gixxer.com

That is an epic thread......but I am still laughing at it. You think that guy really did that?

Post Hijack Alert:
Quick story on my mom. Once my dad was using small spray paint can to camouflage his bow, somehow the bottle got set in the bathroom and mixed in with deodorant. I remember my mom coming out of the bathroom madder then a wet hen....she held up her arm and it was painted green.

 

[dusty88]

I didn't even know the caps were coded. Somebody put one on one of my tires and I'm pretty sure I nonchalantly put it back on a different one just yesterday after I was just checking pressures. Am I going to be arrested by some consumer protection division?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I didn't even know the caps were coded. Somebody put one on one of my tires and I'm pretty sure I nonchalantly put it back on a different one just yesterday after I was just checking pressures. Am I going to be arrested by some consumer protection division?

Yes! I think they're a subdivision of the mattress tag agency!

 

[HoughMade]

We are talking about 2 different things here.

Green caps indicate that...at some point, the tires were filled with Nitrogen. It's marketing for tire stores and dealerships. Put the green caps on and a certain number of people will think they have to keep using nitrogen or that there is some magic benefit to nitrogen. The hope is that the green cap will encourage people to keep paying for nitrogen.

Think it doesn't work? Look at what people pay for "organic" or "non-GMO" or "gluten free"....for reasons they only vaguely have heard of...and have less basis in reality than the claimed benefits of nitrogen in tires.

The caps that monitor pressure are a whole different thing and much less sensitive than a modern TPMS.

 

[rhino]

Nitrogen & argon are inert gases which mean they don't expand or contract from temp changes. It does not support life. Enclosed spaces like a garage can cause concentration to high levels but it would take a lot. Nitrogen makes sense in racing but not every day driving. As I understand it those caps are pressure indicators for folk who don't have a tire gauge or are too busy (lazy ) to ck the right way. 78% nitrogen filling would still allow for temp changes to affect tire pressures.. I think someone 'a getting took there. I suggest checking pressures regularly with a tire gauge. I've never had a vehicle that does the monitoring so I'm not up on them so I would use the tried & true method.

Uh . . . uh . . . really?

Gases that do not change density with temperature changes?

I need to call my alma mater and demand my money back!



(in case you missed it, "78% nitrogen" is a reference to atmospheric air. The guys were having some fun)

(also, "inert" when referring to inert or noble gases refers to their lack of chemical reactivity due to having a full outer shell of electrons)

(also also thermal expansion and contraction is a physical property, not chemical)

(also also also all gases change density with temperature - it's part of being, well, gaseous. If the volume and amount of gas are held constant as when contained in a tire, pressure will increase and decrease with temperature) PV = nRT

(also also also also, nitrogen is not an inert gas, although argon is. Nitrogen undergoes chemical reactions readily. It's also diatomic in its elemental form, which noble gases don't do)

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Inert does NOT mean that there is no thermal expansion/contraction. Inert means not chemically reactive, in other words, does not form compounds. Nitrogen is very definitely not inert; there are all kinds of compounds containing nitrogen. Argon is close enough to inert as makes no odds. Either or both may have less thermal expansion/contraction than bog standard air, but pretty much nothing has none.

 

[rhino]

Inert does NOT mean that there is no thermal expansion/contraction. Inert means not chemically reactive, in other words, does not form compounds. Nitrogen is very definitely not inert; there are all kinds of compounds containing nitrogen. Argon is close enough to inert as makes no odds. Either or both may have less thermal expansion/contraction than bog standard air, but pretty much nothing has none.

SCOOPED YOU, DOUBLE E BOY!!!

 

[Informed Decision]

My apologies to all!! My 20 yrs in welding industry 15 yrs ago has clouded some of my thinking. Yes they do expand & contract to temperature but I was speaking in real world temp ranges..not absolutes as in a lab environment .I didn't feel it was relevant to the discussion . In a tire filled with 100% nitrogen or argon I certainly would only think the pressure change would be almost negligible on a tire gauge. In one with 78% there could be changes because of the other stuff. Yes, I did realize air has nitrogen in it along with other STUFF,( too many to remember all).Again, I took to heart that some bozo was actually marketing a 78% nitrogen product & that there are people buying it. I did not read that part as a spoof! Again.. My apologies .