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2010 Gen III nitrogen in tires

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by bandito, Jul 21, 2010.

  1. bandito

    bandito New Member

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    Traded my 2007 Prius Touring sadly (Loved my 2007) for 2010 Gen III. The dealer had put nitrogen in the tires already. They wanted me to pay for it but NO WAY was I going to fall for that and had them take that off the price immediately. So now what am I supposed to do? When the tires get low can I just put air in or what? I live in Scottsdale, Arizona so it gets really hot here and during the summer I really watch the tire pressure to make sure they are filled correctly.
     
  2. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Any mix of air and Nitrogen is perfectly acceptable. Air itself is already 78% Nitrogen.
     
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  3. macman408

    macman408 Electron Guidance Counselor

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    Well, sure, you could put air in... But why would you, when you could put Hydrogen in instead? After all, it lightens your car, improving your fuel efficiency! Better yet, it lightens the unsprung weight, so it makes a far greater difference than, say, replacing the cabin air (for the same amount of gas, anyway). As a bonus, if you get in a fiery crash, everybody will stop to watch, at which point they'll be basically obligated to help as long as they're there.

    But if you insist, air will do just fine.
     
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  4. Colonel Ronson

    Colonel Ronson New Member

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    i hope you're kidding when you said put hydrogen, since hydrogen gas is flammable. The reason nitrogen air tires hold pressure better is because nitrogen is an inert gas, and since the atmosphere is already 78% nitrogen, leekage is very minimal.
     
  5. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    :wacko:
     
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  6. johalareewi

    johalareewi Member

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    Not sure what nitrogen in the tires has to do with leeks :noidea:
     
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  7. andino

    andino Senior Member

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    ^^ Nitrogen has a lower diffusion rate than oxygen due to the concentration amounts in our atmosphere. So it doesn't leak as fast.
     
  8. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

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    If the N2 was really 100% in your tires, but is only 78% in the outside atmosphere, then the N2 gradient would be greater (and the diffusion rate higher) than if the N2 was only 78% in the tires. :twitch:
     
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    He forgot to use the [HUMOR]...[/HUMOR] flags.

    It helps control the onion smell. If you burn biodiesel the onion smell is actually a good thing.

    You are talking about partial pressures. The diffusion rate through tires is so low that this makes no practical difference.

    Tom
     
  10. telmo744

    telmo744 HSD fanatic

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    Proper procedure is checking pressure every week or two.
    When you only put Nitrogen in, and keeping in mind that should be checked periodically, probably you will extend checking, which is bad.
    IMO, air is totally acceptable, has been since hundred years. And N2 only for special services, like large trucks (rethreaded/regrooved eternal tyres), or airplanes.
     
  11. snead_c

    snead_c Jam Ma's Car

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    It could make a Prius "Happy" if it hooked up with some of the O2 in the tires ;)
     
  12. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    A laughing Prius. I like that.

    Tom
     
  13. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Perhaps you meant N2O?:cool:
     
  14. bandito

    bandito New Member

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    Ok comical posts I just had to laugh at them!!!! I am using standard air when I have to put air in, I have only had it 3 days so far.

    Do I not have tire pressure readouts on my 2010 III on my dash like I did on my 2007 touring? The 2007 displayed when I needed to put air in.
     
  15. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    All new cars have TPMS; it's required by law. Keep in mind that TPMS only reports a serious drop in tire pressure. You still need to manually check your tire pressure.

    Tom
     
  16. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    I use sulfur hexafluoride, to lower the center of gravity and improve stability.

    :_>
     
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  17. Colonel Ronson

    Colonel Ronson New Member

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    The diffusion rate is lower. regular compressed air has oxygen. Nitrogen Molecules are much bigger than oxygen molecules. So, they will have a harder time squeezing through all the microscopic holes in the tires than would an oxygen molecule. That's the theory. Does it work like that in real life? probably not.
     
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  18. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    I'm guessing it has big molecules too.:D
     
  19. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    If it does work like that in real life, every time you top you tires off and they bleed down a it you will have a higher percentage of N2 in the tires, so either:

    1. The N2 peddlers are wrong about leakage rates.
    or
    2. They are correct about the leakage rates and after a few times of topping off your tires, the N2 purity in your tires will approach the N2 levels you get at the N2 machine in the tire store.


    In either case, there is no reason to use N2 in your tires.
     
  20. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    A good TMPS system will read out the pressure in each tire.