A little O/T, but still technical

[Bill I.]

Need some help on this one. Just bought my wife a 2010 Town Car, has nitrogen filled tires.
Question is using a digital tire gauge, will the display be the same reading using air or nitrogen?
Reason I ask, just checked her tires and the readings were 43.5#'s. That is way to high. So there we are, is PSI the same for common air and nitrogen. Thanks, Bill

[Larry M.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Need some help on this one. Just bought my wife a 2010 Town Car, has nitrogen filled tires.
Question is using a digital tire gauge, will the display be the same reading using air or nitrogen?
Reason I ask, just checked her tires and the readings were 43.5#'s. That is way to high. So there we are, is PSI the same for common air and nitrogen. Thanks, Bill

Yes....it is the same.

Larry

[Jack H.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Need some help on this one. Just bought my wife a 2010 Town Car, has nitrogen filled tires.
Question is using a digital tire gauge, will the display be the same reading using air or nitrogen?
Reason I ask, just checked her tires and the readings were 43.5#'s. That is way to high. So there we are, is PSI the same for common air and nitrogen. Thanks, Bill

You sure that's way too high? Many tires on new cars have higher psi ratings than the older 32 psi models. Rating should be molded right into the sidewall of the tire.

[Bill I.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Jack, the sticker on the door jam says 33 all around cold. Bill.

[Joe L.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Jack, the sticker on the door jam says 33 all around cold. Bill.

Bill------


The manufacturer's recommended tire inflation pressure found on the sticker or in the owner's manual is different than the maximum inflation pressure for the tire which is embossed on the sidewall. The manufacturer's recommended pressure takes into account several factors including, but not limited to, safety, ride quality, fuel economy, handling, and tire life. It's the pressure they arrive at to provide the best balance of all of these without compromising safety.

The tire's maximum inflation pressure is the pressure that the manufacturer of the tires has determined is the maximum safe operating pressure. Actually, you will usually get best tire life and best fuel economy with the tire at the maximum pressure (but, if you go to maximum pressure be sure to measure it only when the tire is "cold"). However, you will sacrifice ride quality. For a Town Car, ride quality is important so you're probably best at the car manufacturer's recommended setting.

By the way, did this car come from the factory with nitrogen-filled tires? I consider nitrogen inflation of tires to be absolutely foolish. It surprises me that Ford Motor Company would feel any different.

As others have mentioned, PSI reading is no different for nitrogen than it is for air. In fact, air is about 80% nitrogen.

[Bill I.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Joe, as a matter of fact, yes it came with the nitrogen from the factory. Says it on the window sticker (no charge), WOW, am I lucky, no charge yeah... right. Thanks for the PSI info, I'll bleed the tires down tomorrow. Bill.

[Mark K.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Bill------


The manufacturer's recommended tire inflation pressure found on the sticker or in the owner's manual is different than the maximum inflation pressure for the tire which is embossed on the sidewall. The manufacturer's recommended pressure takes into account several factors including, but not limited to, safety, ride quality, fuel economy, handling, and tire life. It's the pressure they arrive at to provide the best balance of all of these without compromising safety.

The tire's maximum inflation pressure is the pressure that the manufacturer of the tires has determined is the maximum safe operating pressure. Actually, you will usually get best tire life and best fuel economy with the tire at the maximum pressure (but, if you go to maximum pressure be sure to measure it only when the tire is "cold"). However, you will sacrifice ride quality. For a Town Car, ride quality is important so you're probably best at the car manufacturer's recommended setting.

By the way, did this car come from the factory with nitrogen-filled tires? I consider nitrogen inflation of tires to be absolutely foolish. It surprises me that Ford Motor Company would feel any different.

As others have mentioned, PSI reading is no different for nitrogen than it is for air. In fact, air is about 80% nitrogen.

Joe, I don't think it's foolish, but it is unnecessary. As it is, nitrogen makes up about 70% of the air we breathe anyway. The benefits to pure nitrogen are extremely minimal for automotive applications.

[Michael F.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

pure marketing hype with high profits to the uninformed.

[Robert S.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

When you put the tire on the rim, it has 14.7psi of air pressure in the tire at sea level. This air has 79 percent nitrogen and 20 percent oxygen. To properly inflate the tire, another 30 psi +/- is added to the tire. If pure nitrogen is used, the resulting mix in the tire is about 7 percent oxygen and 93 percent nitrogen. Big deal. Never heard of a 100 percent nitrogen fill where a vacuum pump was used to remove all of the oxygen. (Note to self: Must take Anacin again. Hammer is starting to strike anvil in head.)

Bob

[Edward S.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Just try to make sure the tires on the car are the same that the factory sent it out to the dealer with. There are times the dealer will make a switch and the numbers on the door sticker could be way off to the ones listed on the tires. Cost me a few bucks to find out that bit of info.

[Bill I.]

Re: A little O/T, but still technical

Thanks for the heads up Ed. I did check before we took delivery. Sticker, door jam sticker, and tires all say 225x60x17. Bill.