New Experience With Flat Tire

I don't remember ever having a leaking (rear) tire, smothering it in soapy water and still not finding a leak.

I removed the wheel assembly and quickly found the leak after sitting it in a tub of water.
There was a pin prick sized hole in the valley of a tread sipe that would quickly disappear under soap water application.
The tire was losing air quickly because the culprit 'stabbed' the tire and left. This was my new experience.

The bottom line I'm now a firm believer in the water bath and will never use the soap method again.
My side-by-side has a leaking tire. The soap method has failed so it will be traveling to a cow watering trough for a dunk.

+1. I have found the immersion method works when there are small punctures, soapy water not so much. Use it almost exclusively for the last 25 years or so.

When I worked at. Service station as a kid we had special tire shaped galvanized tub for finding slow leaks.


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Same here, it does work well.
I have a jeep that has a slow leak on one of the tires. The wife took it into a place for them to check it and the guy ended up taking if off the car and put it in the tank... still couldn't find the leak. She now drives the Xterra because she's sick of airing it up every week.
I guess I will have to look into it more.
Slow leaks are a PITA!

Glad you found yours OP.

Fall of 2015 I had a pin prick puncture not in the valley of the tread. Would loose about 3-5 psi every 3 days. Dunk didn't find it nor did the soap method. Was close to time to replace anyway so took it in to be done just to verify if it was a seat problem or valve or what. Service tech showed me the old tire and there was a very thin brad still in the tire in the center of the tread that he could only find, and did, when feeling around the inside of the tire after removal. Almost couldn't see any blemish where it entered from the outside.

rjs987 said:

Would loose about 3-5 psi every 3 days. Dunk didn't find it.

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A little surprising the dunk did not find the leak. Maxing out tire pressure helps to find a leak.
My SS tire I mentioned only runs 10 PSI but will probably double that figure before the dunk to help locate the leak.
But I'm suspecting the bead may be where the leak is. The tires are brand new and where changed from steel wheels to alloys after buying the SS new.

ST13Fred said:

A little surprising the dunk did not find the leak. Maxing out tire pressure helps to find a leak.
My SS tire I mentioned only runs 10 PSI but will probably double that figure before the dunk to help locate the leak.
But I'm suspecting the bead may be where the leak is. The tires are brand new and where changed from steel wheels to alloys after buying the SS new.

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This is a key to finding small leaks. I've watched my auto mechanic inflate tires upward of 50 or 60 lbs to seat the bead. If this is not going to blow up the tire, you can (probably) go a few pounds over the max for a few minutes to look for a tiny leak. And yes, low pressure tires are going to be a problem. We have a Honda snowblower and sears tractor that run the tires at 10 psi. When I inflate them over that pressure they expand like a balloon. I cannot imagine finding a pinhole leak at only 10 psi.

I envy your Motus..... Ride it in good health and enjoy it!

Use windex not soapy water. You will find leaks with it that soap and water will not show..

ScubaDave said:

Use windex not soapy water. You will find leaks with it that soap and water will not show..

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With a name Like ScubaDave, I would have thought you would have stopped using windex, and use what works better for finding leaks in life support stuff
Go to a Toy store and buy a bottle of bubble blowing soap the kids use. It works better than anything for finding leaks in just about anything. Unlike windex, it does not leave foam or tiny bubbles that hide leaks, but leaves a smooth film that once it finds a leak, it tries to blow a large bubble! Been using it for years with great success. I have had a bottle in my Rescue dive gear bag for years.
.02

Igofar said:

With a name Like ScubaDave,
Go to a Toy store and buy a bottle of bubble blowing soap the kids use. It works better than anything for finding leaks. ......leaves a smooth film that once it finds a leak, it tries to blow a large bubble!

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That makes sense. That stuff does seem to develop a durable bubble that does not pop quickly unlike dish detergent soap.

ST13Fred said:

That makes sense. That stuff does seem to develop a durable bubble that does not pop quickly unlike dish detergent soap.

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Or, go to a plumbing supply house and buy a bottle of the liquid (soap) that is used to find gas leaks. Just like the bubble blowing soap only probably more expensive - but maybe more easily available. For many of these soap solutions don't spray it on - that introduces the small bubbles that hide the leak - dribble it on slowly using a pouring motion, esp around the rim/tire bead area. The valve is also suspect especially older rubber valve stems that might have small cracks.

Trick from an old Scotsman if you become desperate to find a leak. Fill a suitable container with water, put the wheel in and let the water stabilize. Introduce enough light oil (like 3-IN-One) to create a film over the entire surface of the water and wait as long as it takes. An air bubble will eventually come up from the leak and will be trapped in the oil. You may not know exactly where the leak is the first time around but you will know that the bubble came straight up from directly below where it is. Rotate the wheel and repeat until you locate it. The advantage is that you don't have to stand there and watch it waiting for an really small leak to show itself. The oil will tell you where the bubble came from.

Had a long term frustrating experience with some old utility trailer tires. Would have to pump them up every time I needed the trailer. Turned out they were leaking around the base of the valve stems.