filling tires with nitrogen
Senior Member
Joined: 02-10-2007
Posts: 2,727
From: LBC Ohio
i put nitrogen in my tires cuz my car guys does it for free, i have noticed the air stays in longer, its a lil harsher ride. supposedly its better for the rubber of your tires but i dunno about that one, also better gas mileage hmmm prolly not. i would save your 50 bucks though.
Founding Member
Joined: 11-23-2007
Posts: 8,210
From: Texas
The better gas mileage is claimed because in therory your tires will stay closer to recommened tire pressure. So it's not the nitrogen that gives you the better fuel economy its the fact that the tires stay at the prescribed PSI.
I wouldn't waste the money on it.
Has everyone forgotten these nifty tools?
I wouldn't waste the money on it.
Has everyone forgotten these nifty tools?
Senior Member
Joined: 06-21-2006
Posts: 939
From: Calgary
Hey ChevyMgr, I think I've seen one of those in my girlfriends night stand!! 
I've always been a little afraid to go into the types of shops that sell that kind of equipment
...oh wait, I just looked at the picture closer that's a tire pressure guage, silly me!!
I've always been a little afraid to go into the types of shops that sell that kind of equipment ...oh wait, I just looked at the picture closer that's a tire pressure guage, silly me!!
Senior Member
Joined: 03-31-2008
Posts: 772
From: CLEVELAND
A few HHR have done this but at $50 you are better off saving that money for your next tank of gas.
It's more important that you have optimal tire pressure and check it frequently as opposed to putting in nitrogen and expecting huge benefits. Some of the benefits of nitrogen are a reduction of tire pressure loss because of the larger molecule size but don't be fooled into thinking that you shouldn't still be checking your pressure. Another benefit should be a reduction in tire degradation from the inside out and also wheel corrosion and a reduction in tire pressure variation with temperature. Nitrogen is supposed to help in these situations because it contains and retains less moisture (ie. when you blow air into your tire some moisture gets in there causing problems.) Of course if you just deflate the tires and fill them with nitrogen moisture will still be inside the tire and on the rim.
Overall the benefits are likely to be slim to none and the price you are quoted is quite steep (I assume most of the price is probably due to a "purge" being done in order to try to remove most of the moisture.)
Keep the $50, check your tire pressure every fill up and you'll see the same results.
Nitrogen has applications in racing technology, aircraft tires and maybe even the trucking industry but it's just extra revenue for dealerships and tire shops when it comes to passenger vehicles.
I once found a GM note about nitrogen, I couldn't find the direct GM source again but I have found it posted on GM Inside News forum.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...already-51446/
It's more important that you have optimal tire pressure and check it frequently as opposed to putting in nitrogen and expecting huge benefits. Some of the benefits of nitrogen are a reduction of tire pressure loss because of the larger molecule size but don't be fooled into thinking that you shouldn't still be checking your pressure. Another benefit should be a reduction in tire degradation from the inside out and also wheel corrosion and a reduction in tire pressure variation with temperature. Nitrogen is supposed to help in these situations because it contains and retains less moisture (ie. when you blow air into your tire some moisture gets in there causing problems.) Of course if you just deflate the tires and fill them with nitrogen moisture will still be inside the tire and on the rim.
Overall the benefits are likely to be slim to none and the price you are quoted is quite steep (I assume most of the price is probably due to a "purge" being done in order to try to remove most of the moisture.)
Keep the $50, check your tire pressure every fill up and you'll see the same results.
Nitrogen has applications in racing technology, aircraft tires and maybe even the trucking industry but it's just extra revenue for dealerships and tire shops when it comes to passenger vehicles.
I once found a GM note about nitrogen, I couldn't find the direct GM source again but I have found it posted on GM Inside News forum.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...already-51446/
And if you don't believe HP Tuner, take it from me, the hhr driving Chem E. Just check you *&%*^ tire pressure everytime you fuel up. If i see less than 34psi in the summer before warming to highway temp, I add a little. I haven't owned this car long enough to see what the winter will bring it down to, but I probably won't let it get below 32psi cold. That has been enough for me to get some killer gas mileage. SAVE YOUR MONEY.
Or give it to me, I can fill your tires with whatever you like.
