Nitrogen-filled tires

[cgstrickland16]

Hey guys -

I had an '03 4Runner that got a 1-2 MPG increase when I added nitrogen. Has anyone swapped to pure nitrogen in their 100? Any change in MPG? Tks!

 

[TLC Dan]

Not likely..........
or possible. Other forces must have been causing this like fuel changes depending on the station etc. but it is absolutely impossible to see a diff in mpg's with a little different type of inflation option. If it did help, We would be barraged with claims all over the media. The only real advantage of Nitrogen is that it doesn't change preassure with different ambient temps.

TLC Dan

 

[12guns]

Nitrogen shouldn't give you an increase. What it does is keep the air inside from expanding and contracting with the outside temp. Did you add a few PSI when you had the nitrogen put in the 4runner tires? Just a few PSI can help with MPG. Maybe the tires were a bit low before, then the shop filled them back up to spec w/ nitrogen. That would make more sense to me.

 

[4Peanut]

What TLC Dan and 12guns said.

 

[PhrogsPhorever]

Seeing as regular air is almost 3/4 nitrogen already, I doubt you got any benefit.

Get some new stickers, everybody knows that stickers add HP and MPG

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[cgstrickland16]

Makes sense. Anyone know the psi to run street-tread 265s for optimal MPG?

 

[PhrogsPhorever]

Makes sense. Anyone know the psi to run street-tread 265s for optimal MPG?

If you are getting better MPG right now, see what's in there and stick with it.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[DuckLN]

I disagree with some although i will agree that consistent tire pressure is advantageous to an extent. I've never had or heard of problems where air temperature inside tires becomes a factor that must be dealt wtih and I live in Arkansas where temperatures routinely exceed 110 F and many days we are the hottest place in the world if you factor in humidity and temp.

Nitrogen's largest advantage is that your tires will not "oxidize" (the effect of exposure to oxygen) from the inside out. Nitrogen filled tires greatly reduces this threat as tires nowadays commonly last 60,000 miles which is plenty of time for the rubber compound to "dry-rot" from the inside out as well as outside in. In other words, your tires could wear out and become weak and still have plenty of tread depth left in them.

Youy hypothesis that you acheived greater fuel mileage is IMHGFO not possible (no shame in trying to improve though). There are many factory in fuel mileage such as wind direction, altitude, and average speed, and a pleathorea of others not mentioned.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Not only consistent, but for me I've noticed that there is no change in pressure over time. With regular compressor air in 6 months or so I would have to check them and inflate them a few pounds. With nitrogen in them I haven't had a change in over a year. So, that may contribute to a better overall fuel economy.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Maybe Helium would work better? Make the truck lighter, and all that?

 

[saillaw]

I'm running propane in my tires.

 

[petrotk40]

Maybe Helium would work better? Make the truck lighter, and all that?

I know you're joking but helium would leak out so dang fast because the atom is so small. I wonder how much lift it would give? Now I'm going to have to calculate that... darn my nerdiness.

 

[2000UZJ]

I air down to much. I just use the free stuff... lol.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I air down to much. I just use the free stuff... lol.

I was joking that when Costco filled my tires with nitrogen and then I filled them back up after a trail run from my CO2 tank, the chemical mixture was going to create a bomb or alcohol or something.

 

[2000UZJ]

I was joking that when Costco filled my tires with nitrogen and then I filled them back up after a trail run from my CO2 tank, the chemical mixture was going to create a bomb or alcohol or something.

I could deal with the alcohol problem, just not the bomb part . Does Costco charge for nitrogen fills if you buy tires from them?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Nope, it's complimentary. When they started doing it they had a whole brochure extoling all the benefits. You even got green valve stem caps. Those totally ruined my motif.

 

[2000UZJ]

Nope, it's complimentary. When they started doing it they had a whole brochure extoling all the benefits. You even got green valve stem caps. Those totally ruined my motif.

That's nice. I wish my tire shop did that. But considering I air down 3 times a month the nitrogen wouldn't last long. The benefits seem nice but if it's not readily available from a standard pump I don't see myself benefiting, at-least not from a finical stand point. My shop charged ~$3 per tire for a nitrogen refill.

 

[flood]

The tried and true way to get a significant MPG boost is to buy a 4cyl vehicle and use it as your DD.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I was joking that when Costco filled my tires with nitrogen and then I filled them back up after a trail run from my CO2 tank, the chemical mixture was going to create a bomb or alcohol or something.

Maybe shield gas for your welder?

 

[Sandroad]

Here's a good summary from the Tire Rack.

Tire Tech Information - Clearing the Air About Nitrogen Tire Inflation

Looks like they conclude no substantial benefit for those of us who wear tires out every couple years anyway. Benefits are mostly with vehicles in storage or very low mileage vehicles, or for those who never check tire pressure. And, for sure no increase in gas mileage just for using N.