Nitrogen

[niejelow]

I just purged all the air out of the tires and replaced it with nitrogen. Marked mileage difference even in extreme cold (17degrees) get up to 3.0 m/KWm. Recommend this to all owners.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

I just purged all the air out of the tires and replaced it with nitrogen. Marked mileage difference even in extreme cold (17degrees) get up to 3.0 m/KWm. Recommend this to all owners.

Can you explain the process? Are there any disadvantages?

 

[niejelow]

Unscrew the the valve pin it will let all the air out and deflate the tire completely. Then screw valve pin back in and fill with nitrogen. Rather simple process. Make sure tires are cold and refill to 45 psi when cold.

 

[hydbob]

Are Nitrogen-Filled Tires Worth the Cost? - Les Schwab

Wondering whether nitrogen-filled tires are worth the money? Here’s your answer.

www.lesschwab.com

 

[niejelow]

The main advantage is less tire wear, increased mileage.

 

[Lucken]

The main advantage is less tire wear, increased mileage.

According to the article, the only reason for the increased mileage is because nitrogen filled tires leak much more slowly than tires filled with regular air. So there's nothing magical about nitrogen in terms of mileage, it's just that they maintain their proper PSI longer.

 

[Coltonw011]

According to the article, the only reason for the increased mileage is because nitrogen filled tires leak much more slowly than tires filled with regular air. So there's nothing magical about nitrogen in terms of mileage, it's just that they maintain their proper PSI longer.

Only other noteworthy benefit is no moisture destruction of TPMS sensors (rare to begin with). It’s expensive, but placebo? Idk.

 

[Swiftse3]

I used to put nitrogen in race car tires. The tire pressure was very low, 10-15 pounds. Nitrogen doesn't change pressure with temperature as much as regular "air", so that was the reason.
I have no clue on the rolling resistance / better mileage benefit.

 

[niejelow]

According to the article, the only reason for the increased mileage is because nitrogen filled tires leak much more slowly than tires filled with regular air. So there's nothing magical about nitrogen in terms of mileage, it's just that they maintain their proper PSI longer.

I respectfully disagree. If you go from 2.1 to 3.0 in mileage at 17 Fahrenheit that is a significant difference. That coupled with no moisture has made a believer out of me.

 

[Lucken]

I respectfully disagree. If you go from 2.1 to 3.0 in mileage at 17 Fahrenheit that is a significant difference. That coupled with no moisture has made a believer out of me.

I'm certainly no expert on this, but the article makes it clear there's nothing magical about nitrogen filled tires. I suppose if you have conventional air filled tires and temperatures dropped precipitously and PSI dropped along with it, you'd suffer a mileage decrease (0.2% for every 1 psi drop). Nitrogen being less temperature sensitive would incur less of a PSI drop and thus your mileage would maintain itself better. However if you were diligent and maintained your tire pressure with conventional air-filled tires, I don't see a logical explanation as to why nitrogen would do better at the same PSI.

It's an interesting topic and I'm certainly open to learning.

 

[PhotoEye]

I just purged all the air out of the tires and replaced it with nitrogen. Marked mileage difference even in extreme cold (17degrees) get up to 3.0 m/KWm. Recommend this to all owners.

Did you do that while on a lift?

 

[hydbob]

Nitrogen is vastly superior in regions with extreme cold compared to Southern California

 

[niejelow]

Did you do that while on a lift?

I jacked each side up individually and let all the air out. In a put a vacuum pump on to vacate any moisture , which was surprisingly significant.

 

[niejelow]

Nitrogen is vastly superior in regions with extreme cold compared to Southern California

The density of nitrogen is 1.251 versus 1.225 for air at sea level 15 degrees C or 59 degrees F. Thus the net affect would be the same regardless of temperature

 

[niejelow]

In addition I am not trying to make converts out of anyone but stating actual physical difference that I experienced in New England where temperature can fluctuate with a delta of +-40degrees at any given time in the winter.

 

[hydbob]

The density of nitrogen is 1.251 versus 1.225 for air at sea level 15 degrees C or 59 degrees F. Thus the net affect would be the same regardless of temperature

It's really the water vapor that is expanding or contracting that causes the biggest difference in the pressure differences no?

 

[SDHacker]

Costco uses nitrogen whenever you buy a tire or get it serviced there. I haven't noted any differences in my Prius (same make/model tire) or ICE vehicle. Some Costco's even have nitrogen refill pumps in their parking lot to make it easy to use nitrogen to maintain tire pressure (the one I go to has one next to the tire center). If you choose to go this route, you need to be able to refill with nitrogen. As with most things, YMMV - it would be interesting if another owner did a nitrogen conversion.

@niejelow How important do you think the vacuum evacuation of the last remaining air/moisture was to the process?

 

[Swiftse3]

@hydbob I believe so.

 

[niejelow]

Costco uses nitrogen whenever you buy a tire or get it serviced there. I haven't noted any differences in my Prius (same make/model tire) or ICE vehicle. Some Costco's even have nitrogen refill pumps in their parking lot to make it easy to use nitrogen to maintain tire pressure (the one I go to has one next to the tire center). If you choose to go this route, you need to be able to refill with nitrogen. As with most things, YMMV - it would be interesting if another owner did a nitrogen conversion.

@niejelow How important do you think the vacuum evacuation of the last remaining air/moisture was to the process?

I am not a physist but I suspect that pure environment for lack of better terminology is always better

 

[niejelow]

My dream P has 21” tires and even with nitrogen the tire pressure increases with driving time. I suspect that tire friction/ heat increases with driving time.