tommyd3

I have an 08 GS350 that came new with nitrogen filled tires (all 5). I live in Florida so the winters are quite mild. Drove up to Nashville a few days ago. Due to the colder weather the low tire pressure warning has come on & off several times (mainly on). So I bought a tire pressure gauge and the 4 tires on the ground all read 28-30 PSI (33 cold set point) at 34 degrees F ambient air temperature. Since I have nitrogen I called the local Lexus dealer to see if they were willing to top off my tires. They claim the tire pressure is not supposed to be affected by temperature and wanted $50 to top off my 4 tires !!! It is not that I cannot afford to pay $50, but I refuse to pay $50 for 5 minutes of work !!! So, I went to a local gas station and filled the 4 tires plus the spare (at 40, should be 60) with air for $1.50. The whole concept of nitrogen filled tires does not work when the owner cannot top off their own tires. Maybe when they come out with a "do it yourself" nitrogen kit (like the do it yourself freon kits).

Are there other members who live in cold climates with nitrogen in their tires? What do you guys do? Drive around all winter with the low pressure warning on? I guess the dealer would top off the tires as part of the $150 oil change???

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lol we are talking about those 20% difference then. in any case, nitrogen molecules are larger and supposedly less likely to leak

back to OP, i don't understand what the dealership is smoking. i don't know enough about molecules to write a thesis, but when it gets colder, of course the psi will drop right? otherwise why the hell would there be a rule that all psi are measure when "cold"? that dealership probably has no idea what they are talking about

here in socal temperatures aren't that bad. back in dec i had a trip to norcal and i checked pressure before the drive up. it got cooler to around 30 degrees and my tire light comes up. checked pressure and they were all 28 psi. i didn't feel too "surprised" by that fact and just put in more air

OH-MAN

iTrader: (1)

Nitrogen has less moisture in it compared to air.

It will not vary as much as air with temp change.

When you fill up a tire with nitrogen if you do not vacuum out the air that is in the tire from just atmospheric pressure when it is mounted you have mixed the two together.

We used it on sprint tires during asphalt races to try to keep the tires from growing as they heat up.

I have a nitrogen tank and regulator but do not waste my time messing with it.

Spend the money on antena wax or oil softners.

dunnojack

my high school chemistry is rusty. but i think nitrogen is less compressible so the pressure won't fluctuate as much on hot/cold days

nitrogen = hype.

hughh

Geeez, $50 bucks??? I just drive over to my local COSTCO and leave the car with them while I'm shopping for wine. By the time I'm finished the tires have been checked and filled with nitrogen for free..warning light gone!

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

No need for nitrogen filled tires for street cars. You're suppose to check your tire pressure frequently anyways so you dont need the consistency of 100% nitrogen.

RON430

I think that pretty well sums it up. Typical compressed air has a fair amount of moisture but even this isn't always true. I get much better results on my air tools by drying the air line and that isn't that big of a deal to make a pretty significant reduction in water content. I think you could find somebody else to use the nitrogen for less price but why bother? I think this nitrogen suff, as has been posted, is hype. Measuring and setting the right pressure, that is worth doing. And I am not saying there isn't some reason for using a known gas but for the street, hype still about sums it up.

Water vapor can go through some pretty good changes with temperature but as for Lexus saying that nitrogen is immune to temperature variations, what a shame they don't know what they are talking about.

Arantant

Just fill up your tires with air when it's dry out (check the DEW POINT on your weather forecast- the lower the better) and you can significantly reduce the moisture that gets into your tires. Makes a big difference (in moisture content) in Houston if the wind is blowing from the Gulf or from the North and whether we have had a front go through recently or not.

By the way, I don't know if this will have any real measurable effect, but it makes sense to me and besides, it's free to try if you have your own air compressor.

steviej

iTrader: (1)

Here is another discussion here.

I have researched the nitrogen alternative extensively because I have seen many retailers "having specials" and "sales" for nitrogen inflation of your tires. I was curious. After reading many reviews and scientific claims I have concluded that a 100% nitrogen-filled tire will do all the things they claim compared to a tire filled with conventional air.

However, I suggest you regularly just use the 78% nitrogen mixture that's available everywhere for free to keep your tires properly inflated. I don't think we need to get into the size difference of N2 and O2 molecules, or the concept of Boyles Law here. Suffice it to say, in some instances nitrogen (which is an inert gas) is a better way to fill a tire. Those instances occur on the racetrack, in airline tires and in some military applications. For normal day-to-day circumstances, it's just not worth the hassel.

Just my opinion constructed from what I have researched.

steviej