Is it ok to use regular air?

sw21 · 05-29-2009, 01:18 AM

My tires currently have nitrogen ( i think the green caps) and I was curious to see if anyone has filled there tires with regular air without having issues. My tires are getting a a little low and I have no clue were to get nitrogen in the tires.

Key-Lay · 05-29-2009, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sw21

My tires currently have nitrogen ( i think the green caps) and I was curious to see if anyone has filled there tires with regular air without having issues. My tires are getting a a little low and I have no clue were to get nitrogen in the tires.

To fill a tire with 100% nitrogen would be impossible without a vaccum, your tires probably have 30% nitrogen 70% air so yes air is fine, but you can get nitrogen at just about any dealership or any mobil 1 jiffy lube type place. Just ask for it.

Sh0ty · 05-29-2009, 01:46 AM

Use normal air.

Nitrogen filled tires don't do anything for your car, just a genius marketing ploy to suck funds out of the uninformed. Atmospheric air is 78% nitrogen as it is, and the extra 22% of other gases won't make much difference. The only possible thing to consider is water vapor in the air. Water vapor will increase in volume as it's heated faster than nitrogen or dry air, causing differences in pressure, but on anything sub formula 1, it's not going to be significant enough to matter. Not only that, but most Nitrogen filling stations don't have dry pumps, meaning you're seeing no benefit.

Also, even if the atmosphere wasn't mostly nitrogen, nitrogen is largely inert, so you won't see any dangerous issues filling a nitrogen filled tire with something else.

Big Thurs · 05-29-2009, 08:41 AM

No race car? No need for nitrogen.

Brilliant way for shops (if you can call jiffy a shop

) to make money. Oh yeah, "NASCAR uses it so I need it too" seems to be the general marketing campaign. Lets also criminalize dihydrogen monoxide!

fvillota · 05-29-2009, 10:03 AM

i use reg air and it dont seem to bother the tire.

sw21 · 05-30-2009, 01:35 AM

So then I shouldnt be expecting a blow out when I use regular compressed air in my tires that have had nitrgon already out in?

328FTW · 05-30-2009, 02:22 AM

No they won't blow up, the previous answers pretty much sum everything up. Water vapor is the only thing that can make a difference and if you put totally humid air in the tyre even then you are not going to notice in a road car. I run normal air on my racecar and every other one of my road cars. The thing to watch is the pressures you run, that makes a huge difference to handling and safety.

TomsMR2 · 05-30-2009, 02:23 AM

atmospheric air is mostly nitrogen. it'll be fine. you'll never notice any even marginal difference in anything.

Sh0ty · 05-31-2009, 01:48 AM

Yeah, if normal air caused blowouts, Nitrogen fills wouldn't be marketing, it'd be law. Also, mixing something that's 78%N with something closer to 97-99%N won't do anything chemically, so no elevated risk of blowout. Running too high or too low pressure will though, too high just means you're closer to the required pressure for explosion, and too low means you'll overheat the tire, causing blowout.

canadam · 06-05-2009, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Key-Lay

To fill a tire with 100% nitrogen would be impossible without a vaccum, your tires probably have 30% nitrogen 70% air so yes air is fine, but you can get nitrogen at just about any dealership or any mobil 1 jiffy lube type place. Just ask for it.

This is BS, the atmosphere is mostly Nitrogen.

05-29-2009, 01:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
sw21 Cleaner Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 156 Thanks: 41 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Is it ok to use regular air? My tires currently have nitrogen ( i think the green caps) and I was curious to see if anyone has filled there tires with regular air without having issues. My tires are getting a a little low and I have no clue were to get nitrogen in the tires.

05-30-2009, 02:23 AM	#8 (permalink)
TomsMR2 Still not heraldo. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pineapple under the sea Posts: 4,912 Thanks: 18 Thanked 406 Times in 303 Posts Blog Entries: 1 iTrader Rating: (4/100% )	atmospheric air is mostly nitrogen. it'll be fine. you'll never notice any even marginal difference in anything. __________________ Science fact: If you took all the veins from your body and laid them end to end, you would die.

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05-29-2009, 01:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
Sh0ty Armchair Racer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Novi, MI Posts: 1,273 Thanks: 22 Thanked 57 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Use normal air. Nitrogen filled tires don't do anything for your car, just a genius marketing ploy to suck funds out of the uninformed. Atmospheric air is 78% nitrogen as it is, and the extra 22% of other gases won't make much difference. The only possible thing to consider is water vapor in the air. Water vapor will increase in volume as it's heated faster than nitrogen or dry air, causing differences in pressure, but on anything sub formula 1, it's not going to be significant enough to matter. Not only that, but most Nitrogen filling stations don't have dry pumps, meaning you're seeing no benefit. Also, even if the atmosphere wasn't mostly nitrogen, nitrogen is largely inert, so you won't see any dangerous issues filling a nitrogen filled tire with something else.

05-29-2009, 08:41 AM	#4 (permalink)
Big Thurs I shoot bananas@Reckless Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Eatonton, GA Posts: 443 Thanks: 5 Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	No race car? No need for nitrogen. Brilliant way for shops (if you can call jiffy a shop ) to make money. Oh yeah, "NASCAR uses it so I need it too" seems to be the general marketing campaign. Lets also criminalize dihydrogen monoxide!

05-29-2009, 10:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
fvillota Did you just press that? Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 2,539 Thanks: 73 Thanked 52 Times in 52 Posts iTrader Rating: (11/100% )	i use reg air and it dont seem to bother the tire.

05-30-2009, 01:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
sw21 Cleaner Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sacramento, Ca Posts: 156 Thanks: 41 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	So then I shouldnt be expecting a blow out when I use regular compressed air in my tires that have had nitrgon already out in?

05-30-2009, 02:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
328FTW Crazy Nasty Honey Badger Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,236 Thanks: 24 Thanked 266 Times in 239 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	No they won't blow up, the previous answers pretty much sum everything up. Water vapor is the only thing that can make a difference and if you put totally humid air in the tyre even then you are not going to notice in a road car. I run normal air on my racecar and every other one of my road cars. The thing to watch is the pressures you run, that makes a huge difference to handling and safety.

05-31-2009, 01:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Sh0ty Armchair Racer Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Novi, MI Posts: 1,273 Thanks: 22 Thanked 57 Times in 54 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (3/100% )	Yeah, if normal air caused blowouts, Nitrogen fills wouldn't be marketing, it'd be law. Also, mixing something that's 78%N with something closer to 97-99%N won't do anything chemically, so no elevated risk of blowout. Running too high or too low pressure will though, too high just means you're closer to the required pressure for explosion, and too low means you'll overheat the tire, causing blowout.