If I have a plug kit and plug the tire, can the compressor be used without the goop? Owners manual looks like it can't, that the bottle must be installed onto the compressor. I haven't taken it out to look at it, wonder if anyone had.
My wife's last two flats, one a cut, one nail. Of course a cut is unlikely fixable with plug. To me the goop is an additional safe guard. Just plug it, if it bothers you fix it at your covenants (spelling). The goop really makes a mess in the tire, fixing it may not be an option using goop, don't know. Vern
the fitting for the valve stem is on the goop. so the compressor fits the goop and the goop fits the valve stem. ie: compressor won't fit valve stem. Pretty LAMO IMHO But, pull it out and look
You are correct, the OEM compressor will only work in conjunction with the goop. In addition to the doughnut spare I keep strapped to the attach point in front of my right rear passenger seat, I also carry a plug kit and a light duty compressor. Compressors are light and inexpensive. Just be sure to order one that draws 10 amps or less (hard to find - try something like Newegg.com - MasterFlow Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor - 12 Volt, 10 Amp, 140 PSI ). I learned the hard way that anything rated over 10 amps will blow the fuse. It inflates slowly, but coupled with a plug kit, it is a far better solution than gumming up your tire and destroying your tire pressure monitor with the OEM compressor/goop fix.
The compressor you speak of will temporarily do the trick if the nail damage is light, may even get you home , at a reduced speed.
I was actually talking about the compressor in conjunction with a tire plug kit, which can do a far better job than can the OEM goop/compressor solution on any small (non sidewall) puncture. Either case is a temporary fix, and you still need to bring the tire to a repair shop to have the proper exterior plug/inner patch repair accomplished. A sidewall or large tread puncture destroys the tire and cannot be temporarily fixed by either method, which is why I never go past the end of my driveway without a spare.
I just ordered a replacement bottle of fix-a-flat, as useless as it probably is; from the Toyota dealer, it was about $150.
For anyone that wants a better solution for a lot less money, consider: Tire Plug Kit for typically less than $10. I went high-end for $15 - Amazon.com: Dynaplug 1007 Tubeless Tire Repair Kit: Automotive 10 amp compressor for $40 (free shipping) - Newegg.com - MasterFlow Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor - 12 Volt, 10 Amp, 140 PSI $55 vs $150. Not only much cheaper, but far more capable. You can top off your tires at any time, as well as inflate any beach toys you like, both of which cannot be done with the Toyota replacement bottle of goop in conjunction with the OEM compressor. Suggest you rethink accepting delivery of that Toyota replacement bottle.
I just had a flat a 100 miles from home at 8pm last Saturday night. I thought I was screwed. I didnt want to use the $180 Goop and I didnt want to buy a new tire. Luckily the Sunoco down the road was open and they patched it. The best part, It was a 3" thorn attached to a branch. There were no thorn bushes or trees around. No idea how the hell it happened but now my car with 300 miles has a patch on the side of the front right tire.
The other answers are correct. The bottle of sealant plugs onto the compressor and then the hose onto the tire valve stem. The compressor cannot be used without the bottle for anything including just adding some air to the tires. I flatted 57 miles from the dealer in my new PiP. Ugh. Toyota roadside assistance had to rescue me as sealant just ran out the hole. The sealant is water soluble so I cleaned the bottle and compressor and now can use them both for other things since the bottle is empty. I will buy a plug kit now especially if the new bottle of sealant is $140.
OHHiker, My dealer removed the tire from the rim, plugged the hole and then added a patch over it from the inside. So the plug kit is only 1/2 the answer, unless you can seperate the tire from the rim, then remount it. I mentioned to the dealer that someone suggested that they run over the tire to break the bead, but they wondered how that's done with only 3 tires on the car and then how do they remount it without a High-Volume Air Compressor??? Good Question.
The plug kit is like a spare tire, a temporary emergency fix. A professional tire repair, like your dealer did, is a permanent fix.
