Tire PSI with Nitrogen

[Schantin]

Part of me feels stupid for asking this, but is there any reason in the world to have a tire PSI setting different for Nitrogen versus normal air? My Z (brand new from the dealer) has N2 in the tires..... at 45PSI. This is a good 10PSI higher than the owner manual recommendation.

Before I go dumping nitrogen to the atmosphere, are the tires overfilled or is there a reason for the higher pressure?

Appreciate any $0.02 on the matter.

 

[FSUZ33]

Same PSI for nitrogen and air.

 

[Apex_Z]

Part of me feels stupid for asking this, but is there any reason in the world to have a tire PSI setting different for Nitrogen versus normal air? My Z (brand new from the dealer) has N2 in the tires..... at 45PSI. This is a good 10PSI higher than the owner manual recommendation.

Before I go dumping nitrogen to the atmosphere, are the tires overfilled or is there a reason for the higher pressure?

Appreciate any $0.02 on the matter.

The atmosphere is 80% nitrogen. That said, no there is not a reason to run higher pressure. In a race setting the nitrogen filled tires won't gain pressure from temperature as much as air filled tires, but the optimal pressure is a mechanical phenomenon not dependent on the gas used.

 

[ghost 2001]

The atmosphere is 80% nitrogen. That said, no there is not a reason to run higher pressure. In a race setting the nitrogen filled tires won't gain pressure from temperature as much as air filled tires, but the optimal pressure is a mechanical phenomenon not dependent on the gas used.

It's actually a waste of money you don't see any difference. Set the tires to factory settings.

 

[G M]

Like Apex Z said, pressure is pressure. Military and commercial aircraft have used nitrogen for decades for specific reasons.

From the net: "Aircraft use nitrogen in their tires to reduce the risks associated with moisture and oxygen, which can cause inconsistent tire pressure due to expansion and contraction. Nitrogen is an inert gas that helps maintain stable tire performance under varying conditions."

IMHO, if you are paying for nitrogen you are paying too much.

 

[ZMidlife]

Working in Air separation world for 20+yrs N2 filled tires is the biggest joke outside of aircrafts. ** you'll have less fluctuations in cold/hot temps but minimal

 

[FSUZ33]

I think the main thing N2 would help on a road car is the lack of O2 and moisture MIGHT keep the TPMS working longer, and that's debatable. If you or whoever has a drier in their air supply then the moisture is very minimal anyway.

The pressure differential cold to warm is not significant enough to remotely worry about on a road car.

There's also the 'leaking through the tire' difference between air and N2. But when I looked into it, it's something like if you lose 1 psi in 30 days with air, you'd lose 1 psi of N2 in 35 days, or something like that.

A LOT of the population doesn't understand the Nitrogen thing, paid a crazy amount to the dealership as a 'dealer upgrade' when they bought the car, and feels like if it's expensive then it must be THAT MUCH BETTER than regular air...which is 70% nitrogen already.

 

[ZMidlife]

I think the main thing N2 would help on a road car is the lack of O2 and moisture MIGHT keep the TPMS working longer, and that's debatable. If you or whoever has a drier in their air supply then the moisture is very minimal anyway.

The pressure differential cold to warm is not significant enough to remotely worry about on a road car.

There's also the 'leaking through the tire' difference between air and N2. But when I looked into it, it's something like if you lose 1 psi in 30 days with air, you'd lose 1 psi of N2 in 35 days, or something like that.

A LOT of the population doesn't understand the Nitrogen thing, paid a crazy amount to the dealership as a 'dealer upgrade' when they bought the car, and feels like if it's expensive then it must be THAT MUCH BETTER than regular air...which is 70% nitrogen already.

Yeah using Compressed dry air (CDA) would get you nearly same results.

 

[Schantin]

I did my 1200 mile service this afternoon. I dropped the pressure to 35PSI. The only reason I knew the dealer monkey fisted the car before I bought it and put nitrogen in the tires is because they put on some fancy metal valve stem caps that say N2 on each of them. Appreciate everyone's input.