"I don't have the green cap, but it was something I was willing to give up" Classic.

"I don't have the green cap, um... but that was something I was willing to give up." -- I was rolling!

Love your videos. You're fantastic at explaining these often complex engineering concepts. I agree with you here about nitrogen generally not being worth the expense. However, when you mentioned water vapor and corrosion, the issue is not that the wheel will corrode through, but that corrosion will form on the bead area of the wheel creating an imperfect seal between the wheel and the tire. Corrosion in the bead area is a frequent cause of tire leaks, particularly with aluminum and chrome-coated wheels.

Would be nice to revisit this subject, I see the trend coming back with EVs as some people claim and swear that Nitrogen tires are more efficient

Thank you for giving such a great breakdown that shows both sides

As a tech, I have seen several aluminum wheels acquire leaks due to corrosion. Some wheels were over twenty years old, but a 2015 Acura TLX with 30k miles had already developed corrosion all along the bead. The fix for this is to grind it all off and apply bead sealer.

I work at a Costco Tire Center. We use nitrogen to fill every tire that leaves the shop. We also will fill up anyones tires with nitrogen for free (at least at my location). The nitrogen we pump isn't pure though (it's about 98% nitrogen) but its more than adequate. Just thought I'd share this information with anyone that was interested.

I appreciate it! Sure, I don't have many views yet, but I'm getting a lot more than I was a year ago, and my subscriber base is growing very quickly. I don't have plans of stopping, as it seems many enjoy learning about cars, and I enjoy teaching. I've got my pet peeves, but for the most part I'm loving the interaction. I don't mind low views, as long as the content is appreciated, and someone learns from it.

Unless it's in a tyre doing the 24hr le mans endurance race or a 747 at maximum take off weight, with a full fuel load. Nitrogen is unnecessary.

Thank you! Very kind words! I appreciate your input.

Please post suggestions on the suggestions page of my website: howdoesacarwork(dot)com. Thanks!

I should definitely create a segment on alternative energy sources. Thanks for the tip!

"I'm going green."

Our 2017 Lexus LX 570 has Nitrogen filled tires. I drove the inffamous Jack Robinson Parkway between Queens and Brooklyn , and the 3 ton vehicle handled it like a pro with all the twist, and tight lanes on that road.

Perhaps. You can post suggestions on my suggestions page on my website. See the description for the link. Thanks!

Filling tires with nitrogen is just another way tire dealers try to make more money. We don't and we never will

Hahahaha, one of your funnier videos. Throw some more of that dry sarcastic humor into your amazing explanation videos! Great stuff!

Very helpful, thank you!

you channels perfect! always wanted to here about cars from a mechanical engineers perspective. theres a lot of good tech and tuners out there no doubt, but i like how you show the math of it all.

I am a college student and I always wished I could learn more about cars and how they work, you are helping me out a lot...I enjoy learning from your video's between the studying and the partying!

I do see a lot of rim flange / bead corrosion on alloy and chrome rims. i also think climate has a lot to do with it. where we are, its +30 in summer, and -30 in winter. i've done just as many repairs on nitrogen filled tires, as i have with air.

great video as always man

But is it worth $5 times the number you fill your tires or would it be cheaper to just by new steel wheels? I suppose it's still possible.

Well that's great, worth it for the cap alone!

Awesome!

Great to see someone who knows his stuff on Chemistry! ... (and everything else of course!) I noticed you explained the very small difference in atomic radius between Oxygen and Nitrogen very well ;) Keep up the good work!

Again nice video. From my experience Nitrogen is worth it on the track as the tire pressure doesn't vary as much with the temp changes of the tire. I would not normally recommend for the street though, because of the cost.

Beto the Tire Guy! Good vid! Well done :)

wow awesome video all your videos are explaining so good I hope you will get more views

They're very similar to VTEC in principle, which I have a video on. For now that's all I have. Thanks!

Dude, your videos are awesome. well explained, makes sense, good illustration. but the best part is that i can see a young engineer full of energy and passion for cars in you! If I had a car company i would hire you! sub'd! keep it up!

that's the reason why racers (specifically drag racers) remove some air from their tyres. because they use "oxygen" tyres,to avoid the air expansion and get more grip. very nice video and perfectly explained

AWESOME videos man, watched all of them and you explain them really well..was curios if u know of any other channels that describe engineering principals in other things e.g understanding planes, cell phones, computers?

Nice video. Here is a post I did on the subject: Why use nitrogen? ... Having read the posts I will agree with some of what was stated. Now the real reason to use nitrogen would be the reduced moisture which can increase corrosion around the internal tire pressure sensor and poor choice of of metals used in the tire stem. If your tire doesn't have a sensor then I would not consider nitrogen. For those of us with internal sensors I would suggest dry air over the expense of nitrogen. The dollar saving solution (IMHO) is to put a desiccant dryer on our compressor outlets to remove moisture. I am looking for a multi-stage which would have the empty bulb with manual drain plus another bulb with desiccant granules. The granules work via adsorption as opposed to absorption which means moisture collects on the outside of the pellets. This means the pellets can be reused by merely placing them in an oven to vaporize the moisture off. Some dryers have another pellet that changes color to let you know when to replace or reclaim the pellets. Having experienced the corrosion issue mentioned with required replacing the internal tire pressure unit, I am convinced removing moisture is a good play whether it is nitrogen or dry air. The dry air units I have seen so far will likely cost $100 +/- depending on what I care to pay for and how much plastic is involved. I hope this helps someone.

The corrosion issue is a complete myth, the outside of the rim is exposed to "normal" air and rain/snow/road salts all the time. So how can the inside of a wheel corrode with any significance?

The difference in weight wouldn't amount to anything substantial. Maybe an ounce but I doubt that. And yese, dragsters use less air pressure for greater grip (tire grooves into the pavement) and as the tires spin faster they increase in radius due to the force you described.

I have an air compressor at home with a water separater on it. Wouldn't that get rid of enough moisture to negate the benefits of nitrogen? I recently topped off my deflated tires on one car (originally air filled, not nitrogen).

as a tire tech the only time I see ever ruined by rust/corrosion are either cheap aftermarket alloys or 50+ year old tractor tires. even though I get nitrogen free I've never put it in my own tire cause it makes such a small difference

Nitrogen does change pressure with temperature. PV = nRT

You mentioned that it has some advantage on the track, is there any advantage for cold weather in colder climates? I live in Canada and just bought winter tires, sometimes the temperature gets as low as -30 C and my reasoning was i wouldn't want underinflated tires when it gets really cold. Is the difference negligible or does it actually make a difference? Thanks

Haha thank you, you sound very much like myself. I wished something like this existed; it didn't (or at least I couldn't find it), so I made this channel! :)

Thanks for sharing, great information. Do you guys need a guest appearance? :)

thank you. very imformative

This being the Summer, my dash is showing an alarm to check tire pressure as it did in the Fall; I had my tires serviced back then. I imagine that, with the higher temperatures due to Summer weather, I need to let air/nitrogen out to achieve the correct pressure for the tires. Can I do that without violating some kind of law similar to those which regulate refrigerants of cooling devices like home and car A/C units? Conversely, when the weather gets cooler and my tire pressures become lower, can I pump air into my tires myself without causing damage to them? If I have to consult tire centers to regulate this nitrogen crap, then I will view nitrogen in the tires as a scam to bleed more money from my beleaguered wallet. Please, advise.

Nitrogen's steady pressure is good for racing where 1 psi matters and precision is key in all things. Otherwise it's a waste.

I suppose there would be a slight decrease in probability, since there is no water vapor in the tires, I couldn't give you a number, but I wouldn't imagine it making a huge difference.

Thanks dude, great as always. You make clear and easy-to-understand explanation, a lot better than all those crappy animations from the 90s that show how gears work etc.. Also, don't let the rather low view-count discourage you from posting more. It's thoughtless crap that's mostly popular on youtube, not educational stuff like this which requires you to think.

Hey bro I have a serious problem. I can't convince my buddy that his tires are too old! He bought 4 full size spare tires he found in the trunks of junkyard cars and he now runs them on his daily driver. They have zero cracks. They look and seem to feel brand new and not stiff/dried out like an old eraser. My buddy is convinced they have been preserved and are essentially as good as new. The fronts are both from late 2000 and the rears are 02 and 03. I'm assuming they're not gonna blow out because there are no visible cracks. They were down to about 10psi when he got them which he thinks of as a plus. Are they gonna grip as good as they used to? Could they be cracking on the inside only?

Youngest and dang sure the very smartest. Great job explaining .

Haha chemistry definitely isn't a strong point, but I tried my best. Thanks!

My suggestions list could already last me about 5 years, and I have many plans of my own on top of that. My pace is actually rather slow, but it's all I have time for right now. To think that I could relax a bit? Haha, how absurd!

Hi, I love your videos, but there are 3 mistakes in this one: 1-Nitrogen is a gas and as such is affected by temperature changes. 2-To claim to have filled a tire with Nitrogen, one would have to empty it first or else will just have reduced the concentration of Oxygen. 3-Nitrogen can contain as much water vapor as air and so the gas choice is not relevant here. An air dryer is what is needed. Racing cars teams do make sure that they fill tires with Nitrogen 100% without moisture in it because the very small effects do help, but for regular joe's, I don't think it makes a difference. Also, if people are looking at Nitrogen for their cars, most likely, their car have aluminum wheels and so corrosion is very unlikely. Thanks again for your great videos. Even this one. I enjoy them all. Keep doing them.

I'll agree to some extent, but Aluminum does not corrode easily. A thin layer of Aluminum-oxide can form quickly (if the aluminum is not treated) but then it is pretty well protected. And I'm not sure what you're saying regarding alloys/steel radial. Wheels can be made of alloys, but steel radials would refer to tires. You could have both.

Love how you pumped up the tire

Thanks so much! I wondered why the nissan GT-Rs tires were filled with nitrogen after watching top gear, but now i know! :D

Kudos to that! Well said.

Thanks for this.

if you fill from a high pressure compresser air source, as the air decompresses through the regulator it cools and the moisture condenses and is separated into a trap.

Well, thanks to Cost-Co I get it with a tyre mount package and free tyre ownership refills with the same vehicle. I haven't had to refill my summers for 2 years with N2 so I can say there's a convenience there (your tyres make/ model might differ from my results I've recieved). *NOTE* WOW You're looking so so much younger in this older video than you're 2021's

You did a good job with the ideal gas law as it applies to a cold air intake. But now you seem to have forgotten about it. Water vapor is a gas and so are O2 and N2. All fall under the ideal gas law in terms of pressure vs. temperature. Nitrogen gas contains just as much water vapor as air. Specially treated (cryogenic) N2 does have less water and is used in applications where water vapor condensation is important. This N2 is expensive due to the processing and would not be found in automotive. The use of N2 in the filling of tires is just a profit item for those in the business. Many fall for the line.

So nitrogen would be better for my super-sensitive TPM's on my WRX right?

I have a "Suggestions" page on my website howdoesacarwork(dot)com. LSD has made the list, and eventually I will have a video on it. Cheers

Is the nitrogen in liquid form or air form while it's in the tank? before blow up into the tires?

Another good video! I have a question you could do a video about, I would like to know your thoughts and ideas and none fossil fuel engines, is hydrogen better? All electric? Or do you have any ideas of new ways of moving cars? Love to know what you think!

Nice video :D

Does under inflating tires actually improve grip? i mean for like wet conditions. or does it just make the tire unstable ?

If Oxygen and other gases permeate from your tubes and you regularly re-inflate your tires, does this not mean slowly at some point a good chunk of your tires will anyways be Nitrogen?

I don't know if nitrogen is worth it, but in the northeast I have experienced wheels rusting through. I suspect the corrosion is from external sources rather than the air inside the tire. I also struggle constantly with fluctuating air pressures, perhaps due to the wide variance of temperatures here.

you are really awesome!

i work in a tire shop and can confirm air-filled tires are susceptible to corrosion. generally speaking, this usually only occurs where a. there has consistently been an abnormal amount of moisture in the tire, b. the protective coating on the wheel has been damaged or worn away, c. the wheels are chrome plated. typically, the corrosion doesn't eat through the wheel; it just develops on the bead between the wheel and tire (similar to the corrosion that can build up on your battery terminals). as a result, some air loss will occur as the gap widens between the wheel and tire but this can usually be remedied by dismounting the tire and cleaning the mating surface between the two. in extreme cases, a sealer can be applied to allow the tire to seat to the wheel better. this is a very common, albeit temporary, fix for chrome wheels.

could the nitrogen perform differently when racing or under stresses?

i'm sure you won't see this but something that i don't understand is when the outside temp is 10F and let say my tires are at 33 psi. why do my tires increase to 34 psi within the first few blocks of driving? i don't see how there can be enough friction on a cold day to increase psi? is it the friction of the tire against the ground or the friction of the molecules rubbing against each other? i always assumed that the contact of where the tread meets the pavement is what heats up and that warmth works its way through the tread and into the tire. but that wouldn't make sense on a really cold day. it seems like the heat is being created on the inside from the rubber getting deformed from the impact of the ground as you drive.

sweet! i always wanted a green cap for my tires!

hey will u plz upload a video regarding to traction control system(TCS) plzzzzz dude......

Had tires on Mazda filled with air, and they would slowly lose pressure over time. Switched to nitrogen and saw no pressure loss over a few years. Switched back to air, and pressure loss again. Having had both on the same vehicle, same tires, I'm sold on nitrogen filled tires.

Haha, I actually just saw a cop rolling with a flat into a tire shop last week!

If the shop used green caps on the schraeder valves, does that mean that they filled with N2?

Just wondering, what happens is you use an air compressor to fill your tires, there is always water in my air compressor tank so would the air in my tires have less water in them?

What you're saying makes sense, but both gases escape over time. I suppose as more oxygen leaves, eventually nitrogen may be more prevalent, but you'd still have the water vapor issue.

Hydroponic anti roll system would make a great video. Also compound turbo aswell. Maybe do a vid on a rally group B build. Kinda like the vid u made for F1

Every winter my tps keeps telling me im low on pressure. Wont bother on next tire purchase.

Great video i follow you especially in the vw community, glad the Bieber cut is gone!

F1 cars have their tyres filled with nitrogen ?? Also i love your videos man...i have learned a lot of things...subscribed :D

Make a video on compound turbos!

On track days you always check and adjust tire pressures when tires are hot. This is part of the purpose for doing warm up laps. Read Carol Smith's Tune To Win. You do not need nitrogen for track use.

Green caps are supposed to suggest that nitrogen is used in the tires rather than air. But you can always just ask the shop.

i would like to know about hydroponic anti roll system which is been used in 2013 Porsche 911, why LSDs(limited slip diff)are popular in drift cars?, Multi clutch transmissions. thanks :)

Increase and decrease in pressure is what makes the tire wear out faster and car handle differently on cold or hot days. The big advantage of nitrogen is that the pressure inside the tire stays constant and that makes them last longer and saves gas. Average saving as about 120$ per year. I think that is fairly significant.

As crew chief for a race team, if you do not vacuum and fill with N and vacuum again there is still O2 remaining. Our race tire can see temps as high as 225* F. An O2 filled tire can have a psi gain of 30-50% from 80* air temp to 175* air temp. Even vacuuming multiple times I still see a 5-20% psi gain with nitrogen. High brake temps heat up inner rims up to 300*F yet tire tread will be 175*. This is main factor in increase in tire pressure.

Go to my forced induction playlist, start at the top, and watch until you're tired of learning. They're both very different, and I have videos explaining each. Also, muscle cars aren't restricted to superchargers, nor are imports restricted to turbos.

Quick and easy

Thanks for watching!

It also comes down to friction. A tire with less air will spread out on the surface more causing heat and bad wear patterns. Not to mention a tire low on air will not grip well to the road in the snow.

whats the green cap's benefit to the car? benefits in esthetically way? :))

The main reason is indeed to counter temperature fluctuation. Here in Texas, the temp dropped down to 27 degrees, and was a warm 80 2 weeks ago. I noticed my tire pressure dropped from 40 psi down to 32 psi with the temp flux. This bothers me because I like my tires a little over inflated for better MPGs. If I were to compensate and fill the cold tires to optimal PSI, then it would be over pressure once the temperature goes back up in a few days. This is why nitrogen is actually a thing

Yeah all depends on the shop and how accurate the machine is....but i defff noticed a difference in ride quality much smoother i had a 1 ton van

I apologize if this sounds like a dumb idea, but my tires have a 35psi operating pressure and 50psi max pressure. Because 35/.78=~45, couldn't I fill my tires to 45psi with air and then let the oxygen permeate out and technically get the same effect as nitrogen filled tires at 35psi?

please do a video on tubeless tires...

Im pretty sure O is a bigger molecule than N since N is N7 and is O8 ?

great explanation. based on this I will just fill with regular air