Where's the leak?

It's a tiny leak or dodgy valve that needs > 45 psi to force air out.
When you blow the tube up out of the tyre you don't get anywhere near 45 psi
so it doesn't leak.

Per Kenny:

Quoted message said:

so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing.

I've had a few slow leaks that did not show up until I pumped the tube up to
about three times it's un-inflated size - and even then I had to look closely
because the bubbles weren't streaming out of the puncture. Instead I had to
move the tube through the water very slowly because the bubbles were forming one
at a time and only detaching after several seconds.
--
PeteCresswell

Kenny said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down
from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air
pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

Loosen the retaining nut at the base of the valve stem and douse the
gap with diluted liquid dish detergent. I think you'll find that a
slow leak is present where the valve stem enters the tube, but that it
won't open up at the pressures you can apply with the tube removed
from the tire. Bubbles forming at that point will confirm this. It's
a common tube failure mode in my experience.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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Kenny said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down
from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air
pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

All the Michelin tubes I have have a removable valve core. If that gets
loose, it could leak. Make sure the silver part is screwed tightly into
the brass part.

Joseph

Quoted message said:

All the Michelin tubes I have have a removable valve core. If that gets
loose, it could leak. Make sure the silver part is screwed tightly into
the brass part.

Joseph

But not TOO tightly because doing so will crack the plastic seal on the
removable valve stem and that will cause a leak, too.

Cal

Werehatrack said:

Kenny said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down

Quoted message said:

from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air

Quoted message said:

pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

Loosen the retaining nut at the base of the valve stem and douse the
gap with diluted liquid dish detergent. I think you'll find that a
slow leak is present where the valve stem enters the tube, but that it
won't open up at the pressures you can apply with the tube removed
from the tire. Bubbles forming at that point will confirm this. It's
a common tube failure mode in my experience.

Yeah, I put some air in the tube, hold the valve section under water and
wiggle the valve stem back & forth, sometimes you don't get bubbles
until you [censored] it to the side in one direction.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down
from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air
pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

When I use to ride latex tubes, I also experienced this problem. You have a
tiny puncture. Do the water test again but this time stretch the sections of
the tube that are under the water. You should find the leak. This is both
good and bad. It's good because you can get a puncture and still ride home.
The bad part is you may not realize you punctured and when you do, it takes
more effort to find the leak.
-------------
Alex

I would install a new inner tube. For the effort that your putting into
finding a leak your wasting more in your personal time than a tube is worth.
You could swap it out for the spare tube that you keep in your seat pack.
After reading all the solutions of how to repair the leak, all the posters
have wasted more of their personal time than the tube is worth.
I wouldn't ride on this kind of tube with a patch, it is not worth getting
stuck on the road, replace the tube with a brand new one.
sincerely gregory 🙂
"Kenny" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down
from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air
pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

In article <[email hidden]>,

waterskiing greg said:

I would install a new inner tube. For the effort that your putting into
finding a leak your wasting more in your personal time than a tube is worth.
You could swap it out for the spare tube that you keep in your seat pack.
After reading all the solutions of how to repair the leak, all the posters
have wasted more of their personal time than the tube is worth.
I wouldn't ride on this kind of tube with a patch, it is not worth getting
stuck on the road, replace the tube with a brand new one.
sincerely gregory 🙂
"Kenny" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been using Michillin latex inner tubes on my roadbike for the last
year. I don't mind adding air to them before every ride. What's got me
miffed is that my front wheel tube began to lose air at a really high
rate. Normally my front tire would lose around 20 psi overnight down
from 115 psi. One day before a ride I go to checked my tires' air
pressure, by touch I know the front tire is unridably low but the back
tire is normal, ridable but could use a few blasts from the tire pump.
Strange, the front tire lost about 70 psi overnight. I figured I must
have a slow leak in the tube so I took the tube out and pumped it full
of air and began submerging it underwater to find the leak. Couldn't
find one. Nothing. I checked the tire and the rim tape to make sure I
wasn't missing something. Nope, everything checks out. I put the tube
back in and pump it up to 115 psi . The following morning it happened
again. Lost 70 psi overnight. Took it out again. Still couldn't find
any leak. Any ideas?

And what is the value or your time spent deriding the
efforts of others? Oh, by the way, do not top post.

--
Michael Press

Well folks found the leak. I had to pump the tube up to about 80 psi
for it to show up. It's located at the base of the valve stem
definitely not patchable, but hopefully repairable. About six months
ago I misinstalled a latex tube and it popped like a balloon when I
pumped it up. I saved the section of that tube with the valve stem. Now
I get to attempt what I've read others have done on this board which is
to cut out the bad valve stem and glue in the good valve stem. Anyway
if I screw up it'll be fun trying. Thanks to all for helpful tips.

Kenny who? said:

Well folks found the leak. I had to pump the tube up to about 80
psi for it to show up. It's located at the base of the valve stem
definitely not patchable, but hopefully repairable. About six
months ago I mis-installed a latex tube and it popped like a balloon
when I pumped it up. I saved the section of that tube with the
valve stem. Now I get to attempt what I've read others have done on
this board which is to cut out the bad valve stem and glue in the
good valve stem. Anyway if I screw up it'll be fun trying. Thanks
to all for helpful tips.

No glue necessary. Carefully twist the old stem out and put the tubular
stem in the hole and tighten the nut.

http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-002/000.html

Scroll down to the valve stems and see how separated stems can be peeled
from a tube without tearing any rubber with them.

Jobst Brandt

Quoted message said:

Kenny who? said:

Well folks found the leak. I had to pump the tube up to about 80
psi for it to show up. It's located at the base of the valve stem
definitely not patchable, but hopefully repairable. About six
months ago I mis-installed a latex tube and it popped like a balloon
when I pumped it up. I saved the section of that tube with the
valve stem. Now I get to attempt what I've read others have done on
this board which is to cut out the bad valve stem and glue in the
good valve stem. Anyway if I screw up it'll be fun trying. Thanks
to all for helpful tips.

No glue necessary. Carefully twist the old stem out and put the
tubular stem in the hole and tighten the nut.

http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-002/000.html

Scroll down to the valve stems and see how separated stems can be
peeled from a tube without tearing any rubber with them.

How about we take up a collection and send Kenny the 3 bucks for a new tube?

Bill "in for a nickel" S.

Sorni said:

How about we take up a collection and send Kenny the 3 bucks for a new tube?

Bill "in for a nickel" S.

Say Sorni,

I appreciate the thought, but for 3 bucks I can only buy butyl tubes.
Latex sounds a whole lot sexier.

Kenny

Kenny said:

Sorni said:

How about we take up a collection and send Kenny the 3 bucks for a
new tube?

Bill "in for a nickel" S.

Say Sorni,

I appreciate the thought, but for 3 bucks I can only buy butyl tubes.
Latex sounds a whole lot sexier.

Ah, cheap AND kinky! I like it! 🙂

(I was guilty of projection, I think, as I have a pile of used tubes -- on
my dining-room table no less -- that I plan to patch "some day". One
downside of living in San Diego: no rainy days!)

Bill "and now I'm guilty of rationalization" S.

On Sun, 05 Feb 2006 15:46:56 GMT, "Sorni" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

...( One
downside of living in San Diego: no rainy days!)

Pfui. Every time I'm in California, I get rained on. (No, I am not
interested in a ticket to come visit; mudslides are not my idea of a
good time.)
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.