How to Easily Find a Tire Leak At Home Method

How to find a tire leak. There are a few different areas where a tire can leak, the tire can take about a week or two to deflate or it may even happen overnight. The position of the wheel in reference to the leak can even affect the speed of a leak. For this I’m using the Toyota Tacoma as an example. At first the tire would require a top-up every couple of months and up until recently, it would leak down in a week or two depending on the location of the leak in reference to the ground. This may flex the tire one way or another, either opening or closing up that leak. #wheelrepair #tirerepair

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Tools/Supplies Needed:
-wheel wrench
-jack
-spray bottle with soap and water
-air compressor

Procedure:
First the wheel will need to be removed from the vehicle. Next was pumping up the tire. The generic pressure is 32psi, however you can bump it up to about 35-36psi to help increase that leak so it’s more noticeable. When putting a higher pressure in your tires, also refer to the tire’s info so you’re not exceeding the maximum rated pressure.

Using a spray bottle with a mixture of water and dish soap, apply it to the tire and even the wheel. There have been instances in the past, notably with steel wheels where they were poorly made and developed leaks over time. Possible causes of a leak can include a faulty or failing wheel, valve stem either around where it seats in the wheel or the valve core, checking or cracks in a tire where it’s deteriorating, around where the bead of the tire seats against the wheel, or damage which includes a puncture or cut.

Flip over the wheel and again spray it down. Not much soap is required, only a few drops to allow for bubbling, making a leak easily viewable. Some tire shops or garages may have a large container where they submerge the wheel in water to find the leak quicker and easier. An at-home option could be a wheelbarrow or small plastic kid’s pool if you have either available.

Check the valve stem too. Valve stems can deteriorate, have poor steel due to dirt, rust or corrosion, or even have a faulty valve core that is specifically replaceable.

Finally is the tire tread face. This method can be applied to any type of tire which is air-filled, but this cannot be used on tires using a tire tube. And as you can see the leak is now found. Punctures can be caused by a variety of items such as glass, plastic, nails, screws, hooks from straps, etc.

Leak repair methods vary depending on the leak. For this I can use a tire plug. Unfortunately I was out of plugs so I used a paint marker to circle the hole so it can be easily found after. Plugs are an option that can last the life of a tire, however they’re not legal in all countries. Another option and a much more reliable method are using a vulcanized patch. If a puncture is found in the shoulder or sidewall of the tire, it’s considered unsafe to repair and will need to be replaced instead.

If you have a faulty valve core, this can be easily replaced using a core removal tool and I do have a video specifically for that. If the valve stem is faulty, then it’ll need to be replaced but the tire is required to be broken down. For bead leaks, this too requires the tire to be broken down. The bead sealing surface will need to be cleaned and a sealer may be applied. If the tire has checking or cracking, the tire is required to be replaced. If the wheel is at fault, this too also requires a replacement.

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