DropTopGal

Hi guys... When I picked up my 08 IS350, my tires were filled by the dealership with nitrogen. I had a little pamphlet about the benefits of nitrogen and my valve stems had blue caps on them to indicate nitrogen. Yes, I have changed out the blue caps for chrome caps.

I/we check our tire pressures regularly. Our other Lexus is an 07 RX350 that had nitrogen put into the tires. Amazingly, the tires held the pressure of 34psi in all four tires from one oil change to the next (about 6 months). At first I thought the nitrogen was a scam just to get $$ out of the customer.

Bottom line.... as I drive the IS and if the tire pressures remain constant (all four tires are 35psi) from one oil change to the next, I'm going to stick with the nitrogen.

Your thoughts?

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Been using nitrogen in my vehicles tires for the last 3-4 years.
Nitrogen in tires is said to hold air 6x longer than regular air.I feel it does just that.I have a 11 gal airtank of nitrogen to top off when needed in winter.
In my area,green caps are used with nitrogen fillups.Would take them off immediately.

VikH

iTrader: (5)

By recommendation of other users here I have purchased a small portable compressed air machine for $30. This is much more convenient and more accurate filling of your tires. Since you have to drive to the location to fill up nitrogen (unless for some reason you have a tank of nitrogen sitting around) your tires get warm and the pressure rises. Giving you an inaccurate fill.

The pressure drops in my tires very slowly with air and I have to fill them up ever 4 months or so.

Evitzee

It won't hurt, but of no real practical advantage in the real world. Tires filled with nitrogen will hold air pressure longer due to the fatter nitrogen molecules, but if you check your tires regularly (I do it once a month) this doesn't mean much. You eliminate moisture and it's effects on pressure variation and corrosion, but again, it is of little practical significance. Pressure variation can be critical in Formula One racing but for day to day driving, not so much. And corrosion on our alloy tires is not a problem over the life of the wheel. Nitrogen is inert and won't support combustion which is why it is used in aircraft tires as a safety feature.

I suppose the biggest feature is the advantage to hold air pressure. It seems most people won't check their pressures which is why the government has mandated passive TPMS. If it helps in that area Nitrogen could be an advantage, but a tire properly maintained with atmospheric air will be just as efficient.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I do.
I have a good friend with an auto detail business who sells Nitrogen too.
Free Nitrogen for me.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

The only reason why I use it.
Great for winter temp ups and downs.

Seize

Some very good info in this thread

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...light=nitrogen

carchitect

iTrader: (1)

If you were to fill up 2 tires of the exact same size and rim with nitrogen inone and air in the other and place then in ice cold ater for 15 min and test their pressure they will both be the exact same pressure loss. I've tried it. Nitrogen is a big scam much like the R-12 to R134a swapover.

There isn't no disadvantage with using it in our cars but there is absolutely no advantage in it either. I just won't pay additional for it.

-Joe

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

You're wrong.Nitrogen may not be necessary but there is an advantage.
Race cars have used it for pressure reasons along with the airlines.
Tires stay at the correct pressure longer with Nitrogen.

Evitzee

Race cars use it because small pressure variations (1/2 psi) can have dramatic effect on handling. Passenger car pressure stability isn't that critical.

Airlines use nitrogen primarily for safety reasons. They don't want flammable oxygen present in case a tire blows, which happens once in awhile. There was a fatal crash some years ago when a tire exploded and sent burning pieces of the tire into the fuel and hydraulic lines causing the plane to crash. Pressure loss is also a reason just for maintenance.

Nitrogen should slow pressure loss due to its molecular structure. If that is an advantage to anyone, go for it. But if there wasn't money to be made by the nitrogen cottage industry nitrogen filled passenger tires wouldn't be an issue. I wouldn't call it exactly a scam, rather just another thing that isn't really necessary, like VIN etching, paint and upholstery protectants, and other high profit add ons.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

If you could get Nitrogen easily and for free,would you use it?
That's my situation.

carchitect says there is no advantage in using nitrogen.
Nitrogen,due to its molecular structure over air is an advantage because it keep tires at a certain pressure 4,5,6 times longer than regular air.

If you don't have nitrogen filled small airtank to top off tires when necessary then buying nitrogen is somewhat of a waste of money.

Lextasy89

does nitrogen weigh more?

carchitect

iTrader: (1)

I didn't know that Lexus made airplanes or racecars and I work for them. My own cars don't use Nitrogen and I drive them extremely hard at the track. And no tires don't stay longer at the correct pressure longer with nitrogen. Its what everyone wants you to believe.

Yes, I agree in theory, the nitrogen bond is a tripple bond and is a lot tighter and held closer this way than the Oxygen molecule which is a double bond. But its electron field makes it larger in size than Oxygen. However, the Atom inherits higher level of energy which excites it more so in theory it impacts the surface of solids (your tire) with increased force compared to Oxygen. In theory the difference in practically insignificant. IMO, the energy a molecule exibits plays a larger role than its size. Liquid nitrogen boils at 77K vs liquid Oxygen at 90K. Iit doesn't matter in your tire since you use it at a much higher energy level and state but it goes to show that there is information masked about its limitation. More info can be found here. http://www.getnitrogen.org/pdf/graham.pdf

But bare in mind while I can analyze theories I deal with the reality. Tires WILL last you longer if you inspect and maintain your pressure than if you think this mystery gas will do the job for you. Nitrogen won't necessarily be taking care of your tires for you. For ages everyone just forgot about their tire pressures and delt with their blowouts. Nowadays, in a sue happy society, no one appears to accept their blame. If you have your teeth cleaned every 6 months would you blame your dentist for a cavity? Its your mouth you should be taking care of it. Just the same way its your tires, you should be taking care of them.

Its been my experience that out of all manufacturers tires I've used I been happier with Michelin than any other tire. On my own IS the OEM RE050 will be replaced with the PS2 as soon as they wear out. I hate the other Dunflops and RoughStone tires that come on the IS. I've found that Michelins generally hold pressure better than other manufacturers. IMO, the air seems less likely to permeate thru their rubber than other tires. I'm NOT here to give you alternate suggestions for your tires.

If you think your tires will last longer with nitrogen, they won't and neither will your wheels. If you think that your pressure will be more consistent with nitrogen, they won't since the difference is very small in the atoms. 70% air is nitrogen, 20% oxygen, 10% other is larger and heavier and don't matter as much. Every tire that was normal wear and has had its pressure maintained through out its life will have more deterioration on the outside than inside so the elements you expose your tires to effects it significantly more than the air within. On any new tire the belts are within the rubber itself and nitrogen won't protect them any better than air since air could permeate from the outside to get to the belts so the wear would occur regardless of what is used within.

As I've mentioned above I won't care to use it in my own vehicles since I maintain their pressures very meticulously. I don't think there is a disadvantage in using it. I don't believe there is an advantage either.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

To me,I don't care about any other issue but my tires holding air longer and they do with nitrogen.That's the only reason I use it along with free and easy access obtaining it.I never keep a set of tires on a vehicle longer than 6 years even if there's plenty of tread left.So whether nitrogen makes tires last longer isn't an issue for me.
I've used nitrogen for 3 years and I know it holds longer than air.Especially in winter months.
The advantage is not checking and filling tires every month.Not a big deal but it's not having to do it,especially in winter is nice.

Evitzee

Yes, in your particular situation (FREE) it makes sense. But I've already said that. But for others that PAY up to $10 a tire the advantage is minimal. It is another way to extract $40 bucks or so from the buyer. It won't break anybody's bank to spend it, but it isn't necessary.

This is another one of those arguments, like which brand of fuel is best, or if synthetic oil is better than regular dinosaur oil, that gets too passionate and has no definitive answer.