I recently heard that filling the tires on an automobile with nirogen, instead of air, could result in higher gas mileage by several miles per gallon. This was supposed to be because the pressure remained more constant than it would if filled with air, because air contains water vapor which condenses when cold. I am curious as to whether this is a fact, and where one could get nitrogen to do this. Does anyone here know more about this?

I use nitrogen a lot at my job to pressurize pressure systems. I guess you could just get an N2 tank and hook up a hose with air filler on it

A mechanic guy I know .........trys to sells me N2 for my tires. $19 US a pop ....per tire.

I tell him to go screw himself ...........cuzzzzzzzzzz ..........I am not spending $19 US ...just to have the nitrogen bleed out of the tire.

Anyway .........I am sure that the volume of nitrogen varies less with the flux of atmospheric pressure and temperature .......but .....I am not sure it is any less elusive when it comes to leaking out of your rubber.


Slim

Air is three-quarters nitrogen anyway.

Air is three-quarters nitrogen anyway.
My original thought. Bunch of bullshit, like blinker fluid or spoilers on a front wheel drive car.

Yeah, I told my father about this, and his first words were, "What a fucking idiot." What he lacks in bedside manner is made up in candor.

They actually use nitrogen in airplane tires and racing car tires because it does expand and contract less in the extreme temperature variations those applications see. As for using it in your normal car, the same rules apply, but it really doesn't help your mileage. Higher tire pressures help mileage, but you can do that with plain old air.

There was a tire dealer chain in Cincinnati that was offering free N2 inflation when you bought tires there, but that's mostly a sales gimmick I think.

Thanks to all of you that replied. I kind of figured it was a gimmick with just enough truth to lure people in, but I wasn't really sure. It's good to hear that others think the same thing.

They actually use nitrogen in airplane tires and racing car tires because it does expand and contract less in the extreme temperature variations those applications see.
That's true, and in those applications it would help in keeping handling predictable as well as helping safety. In a standard passenger vehicle, there's not enough of a temperature variation or extreme conditions to really make any difference. The same thing is said of synthetic motor oil.

Now wait a second ..............you mean synthetic oil is not better than rock oil ......??

And .....N2 being a better fluid than air in ones tires .....but IMHO not worth the cost .......wouldn't argon be better yet .....and .....since it is a larger atom .......could it be less susceptible to leakage........??


Slim

Now wait a second ..............you mean synthetic oil is not better than rock oil ......??

No, he's just saying the amount of improvement for the average family car doesn't justify the additional cost.

wouldn't argon be better yet .....and .....since it is a larger atom .......could it be less susceptible to leakage........??

Is one Ar atom larger than two N atoms (it is N2, after all)? Anyway, it's possible it might be better as far as leakage goes but it might have really bad expansion and contraction or moisture absorbtion characteristics that would otherwise make it bad for tires.

I still like slim's idea of filling tires with liquid nitrogen. That would be cool. :cool:

Yes ....one Argon atom is bigger than two N atoms. But .....since both are gases at atmospheric temperatures and at pressures that rubber tires would rupture ..............there wouldn't be that much difference in the number of atoms.

I suspect that it's larger size would give Argon a greater friction pressure ....thus less susceptible to leakage.

Gases and liquids are both fluids.


Slim

Gases and liquids are both fluids.I'll be darned, slim. 985 posts and you finally taught me something. Thanks!

Interesting idea :)

Better yet fill the tries with anything and don't drive the car, get a bicycle much better gas milage.

Better yet fill the tries with anything and don't drive the car, get a bicycle much better gas milage.

Should I fill my bike tires with nitrogen?

Should I fill my bike tires with nitrogen?
Well, your bike would get better gas mileage.

Well, your bike would get better gas mileage.

I suppose I could light the gas and make it a rocket-propelled bike. I better buy some burritos.

I suppose I could light the gas and make it a rocket-propelled bike. I better buy some burritos.
Exactly my thought. :) And speaking of which, wouldn't it be potentially dangerous in an accident scenario if your magnesium rims made contact with a curb that sparked and ignited the gas in your N2 filled tires?

That aside, I've heard of this practice before, and yes, I've also heard of the supposed advantages it has to compressed air. That being, primarily, a benefit in molecular size, and it's stable during temperature changes. Due to that alone, yes, it would help your economy slightly. People who run consistent tire pressures typically see a 1 to 2% increase in efficiency on average (especially in colder climates), and that figure can almost be doubled if you're driving a truck. Sorry, but that's a fact.

Thanks .....Toni.


Slim

Helium, for that floating sensation....:thumbs:

And speaking of which, wouldn't it be potentially dangerous in an accident scenario if your magnesium rims made contact with a curb that sparked and ignited the gas in your N2 filled tires?

Yes to magnesium, but no to N2, because it doesn't burn.

That aside, I've heard of this practice before, and yes, I've also heard of the supposed advantages it has to compressed air. That being, primarily, a benefit in molecular size, and it's stable during temperature changes. Due to that alone, yes, it would help your economy slightly.

Correctamundo, although if you just kept an eye on your tire pressures when it got cold you'd have the same effect.

If nitrogen could burn, we'd all be fucked.

Yes to magnesium, but no to N2, because it doesn't burn.
Ah, correct you are, sir. My bad.

For a light show. Burn some magnesium and throw water on it. Be careful. Really hot.