Scirocco Central

Hey peeps, hope you all had a top crimbo.

I decided to buy a portable tyre inflator and pressure gauge to inflate my tyres without having to pay for air at petrol stations. When I first bought my Roc, I bought some VW aluminium valve caps off Fleabay. The tyres got inflated when I took it in a couple months ago to VW to get a main bulb changed.

I tried to take the caps off today to check the pressures to no avail. Used a wet cloth, even resorted to a spanner but it was no use. Any tips? Its frustrating me .

Thanks

Don't these types come with an anti-theft small grub screw that needs slackening first?

Have tried warming them up first with boiling water?

C.

I have heard bad stories about these, the aluminum sort of oxides on then and jams them in place !!, as a preventative measure it helps to put something like copper grease on them to prevent them sticking on (i personally would bin them), other than that then try above, get then hot to expand them

My sister had a similar problem. Hate to bring bad news but she ended up having to get 4 new vales all of them were damaged by the time the caps they were taken off.

Penetrating fluid, heat them up then they should release, then bin them!

Did all the above and to no avail. Am considering taking it to Kwik Fit to just get some new valves and sticking to the original plastic caps. Just wondering whether the tyre pressure sensors are within the valve or can they be removed and new ones fitted and the sensors reset as before? Thanks

I had this exact problem last month, 3 came off by soaking them in WD40 but the fourth wouldn't budge so used the 2 plier trick and the rubber started to split, a quick drive to National Tryes and the guy removed the wheel and the valve and fitted a new one for free !! back to the stock black ones again now !!

Edit: forgot to say no it doesn't affect your tyre sensors as they are not actually located in the tyres but in the ABS instead.

lokyt wrote:Just wondering whether the tyre pressure sensors are within the valve or can they be removed and new ones fitted and the sensors reset as before? Thanks

its not a sensor its a monitoring system which works on the rolling radius (it uses the ABS controller) is does not measure the specific pressure within the tyre.

Ahhh thanks Trix (coming to the rescue again lol).

I tried the boiling water, soaking in WD40 and 2 plier approach and the rubber started splitting. I guess some scummer must of super glued them on unless its oxided so much.

You guys reckon they will get replaced for free or how much you reckon it will cost?

haha no one glued them, they have just rusted on, usually caused by the wet salty winter road conditions

It was £5 but he loved the Roc so said free, you shouldnt be looking at more than £30 for all 4 !!

haha Junior, hopefully the guys will like my frog but its filthy and needs a good clean but not in this weather.

To be honest I probably screwed the caps on to firmly so really my fault. I am going to soak them in more WD40 tomorrow and if that doesn't work its off to Kwik Fit. Do they have to take each alloy off each tyre before the valves are replaced or not as I'm slightly worried the alloys might get ruined.

If the rubber is splitting LEAVE THEM seriously don't touch them, if thread head pops out of the valve your in trouble !! one small pot hole could jerk it out, that's how bad mine had split !!

They will jack you up and yes remove each alloy and if they can't remove the valve they will have to blow it in the tyre. Then they fit a new one and job done total time about 10 mins a wheel ! Don't worry about the wheels just make sure you stand with the car to keep an eye on them

Classic Dis-similar metal corrosion. Try to cut them off carefully, or get the whole valve replaced at a tyre place.

Same has happened to me (ones off ebay)...I just haven't got round to sorting it yet...but I reckon it's a trip to a tyre fitter as they don't look like they will budge. Would have never happened if someone didn't nick my 'Anti-theft' richbrook ones, as the tool had broken, they seemed to come off and on OK.

Sorry to bring up an old subject. At last I got my valves changed today. Got the front wheels changed i.e. fronts to rear and vice versa. Slight damage to the one or to of the alloys but I guess thats what is expected when they are using metal bars. Had to clean the alloys, polished and covered in poorboys wheel sealant.

Pumped full of nitrogen lets see how it performs now

Really, lol, that is quite funny. I also had mine changed out eventually yesterday, as I just couldn't get them off any other way....without potential to damage the wheels. 40 buck it set me back

lokyt wrote:Pumped full of nitrogen lets see how it performs now

You do realise normal air is 80% Nitrogen plus unless they purged the air already within the tyre when fitting then there still is some normal air in there too.

Yeh cost me 40 bucks or so too Thommo. Yes Bob they purged out the normal air first. So shall see.

lokyt wrote:Yeh cost me 40 bucks or so too Thommo. Yes Bob they purged out the normal air first. So shall see.

I would be interested to know how the managed to purge the "normal" air as to do this you an inlet at positive pressure for the Nitrogen and an outlet at negative pressure for the "normal" air to be extracted. As far as I'm aware the tyres only have one valve :-)

The only other way they could have done it, is pulled a vacuum through the valve and then filled with nitrogen.

In summary what I'm saying the whole Nitrogen thing in road tyres is a con.

Cuprabob wrote:

lokyt wrote:Yeh cost me 40 bucks or so too Thommo. Yes Bob they purged out the normal air first. So shall see.

I would be interested to know how the managed to purge the "normal" air as to do this you an inlet at positive pressure for the Nitrogen and an outlet at negative pressure for the "normal" air to be extracted. As far as I'm aware the tyres only have one valve :-)

The only other way they could have done it, is pulled a vacuum through the valve and then filled with nitrogen.

In summary what I'm saying the whole Nitrogen thing in road tyres is a con.

Ahhh maybe they just topped it up with nitrogen, charged £1 per tyre. Must of got the wrong end of the stick.