Slow tire leak or something else?

[JL8jeff]

Update 4/17/23: It turns out there is no tire leak so I guess it was just low when they mounted it. The 2 lb drop was just overnight cooling I guess. The ticking noise is still there from time to time so I think that is the gas tank/charcoal filter venting or something.

I just put on some used tires (35x12.5x17) with new rims last weekend. When I checked the tire pressure with a gauge manually, one tire was down to 28 while the others were around 35-36. I filled it back up to 36 late yesterday afternoon and it was back down to 34 by noon today. I can actually hear a tic tic tic tic tic noise which I assume is the leak. I tried spraying the tire down with water from a mist bottle to the hose to look for air bubbles and couldn't find anything. I checked around the tpms/valve and no sign of bubbles. I rolled the truck back to keep spraying all around the tire and no sign of any holes, nails, screws or bubbles. Then I noticed the ticking was gone as well. I pulled if forward about a 1/4 turn and I could hear the ticking sound again. I tried spraying the area that was on the ground when the ticking stopped but still no sign of the leak. I thought it might be leak along the bead and sprayed the inside and outside bead but no bubbles. Has anyone run into a leak like this? I don't have a container big enough to put the tire in water so how else can you locate this type of leak? Thanks for any suggestions.

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[swami37]

Put Some dish soap in your spray bottle

 

[JL8jeff]

Put Some dish soap in your spray bottle

Yeah, that was going to be the next check. But I just got back from Easter dinner and put the Bronco in the garage and just checked after it has been sitting for a while. No ticking noise and the tire is sitting in a different position from when I first noticed the ticking went away. I think it might be a bad bead seal and maybe it adjusts and seals up in certain positions. I'll keep an eye on the tire pressure and listen from time to time but I don't see any signs of any holes, nails, screws or leaks.

 

[Lifeliberty]

You were spraying without soap?Put the spare on and take it back to where you got it mounted. They will/should have a tank.
If I'm lazy, which I am, I just spray windex to find leaks, but yeah, you need bubbles. Spit can work. Air it up to 45/50 and coat the wheel

If you can actually hear it, you definitely have a problem, normally I don't hear anything until I apply suds

 

[Mlarv]

My grandson had a tire that kept loosing air. I grabbed a spray bottle added a bit of soap and water, and showed him how to look for a leak. Sure enough we found a spot with just a few bubbles showing up. we dried the area and did it again it sure enough there were bubbles. I didn't mark the spot because I figured I didn't need to. Two days later he went to a tire shop to get it repaired. He told them he sprayed it and found a small leak in the tire. The tire shop sprayed the tire didn't find a leak, took it off put it in a tank didn't find a leak. That was three weeks ago and it still hasn't lost any air. I am not sure what happened to the leak. In your case spray the bead with soapy water and take it out on a bouncy road. That may reseat it.

 

[JL8jeff]

Now I'm not sure if there is an issue or not. Took it out today and all tire pressures were within .5 of each other and no ticking noise from the one that was low previously. Maybe the shop didn't air it up to begin with, I'm not sure. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it goes back down to 30 or less but hopefully it's fine.

 

[Hordak]

Question, I have a slow leak but cannot locate said leak. It’s got 10k miles on it from the factory. Is this something I should take to the dealer or a tire shop? I know generally tires aren’t covered but…

 

[Dad life]

Take it to @Discount Tire and they'll repair it for free if it can be done safely, even if you didn't buy it there. I've had plenty of slow leaks that only appeared when the tire was at a certain angle. If they don't fix it, they'll at least identify it and you can plug it if you're comfortable with that (I am).

 

[Discount Tire]

Take it to @Discount Tire and they'll repair it for free if it can be done safely, even if you didn't buy it there. I've had plenty of slow leaks that only appeared when the tire was at a certain angle. If they don't fix it, they'll at least identify it and you can plug it if you're comfortable with that (I am).

Thank you for the shout out! We do appreciate it!

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