zero_to60

On my way back home last night having joined the M25 I began to notice something strange with the handling of the car. It was almost like it was tramlining but I've never experienced this on the stretch I was on. It was starting to concern me as I was wondering if a wheel was coming loose. After about another mile the car really was starting to do it's own thing and I was considering pulling over.

The traffic was very heavy and it wasn't easy to pull over. As more distance passed I found that I was able to replicate the behaviour by moderating the throttle. If I applied power the car would steer to the right, if I came off the power it would steer to the left More experimenting continued and I was actually able to change lanes using the throttle!!

Now I was really worried and dived off at the next junction and pulled into a large supermarket carpark. I got out and walked round the car, couldn't see anything untoward. Checked the wheels were on tight and no worries there. All the tyres looked inflated but I decided to check the pressures......................

All were normal apart from the right rear.....18psi now that was a relief. I carry a compressor in the boot and got some air into it and drove home. The behaviour had gone so with relief I've just got a puncture to sort.

My question is how can the Bridgestone tyre appear to be inflated when just looking at it but be 50% underinflated and can anyone explain why the car was steering itself in response to the throttle position. I've never experienced this in any other car.

Was the LSD getting confused?

Tonky

I think it's been shown time and again that before you look at any steering/suspension issues with the S you need to check the tyre pressures, the car really is THAT sensitive to pressures. As for why you wouldn't see the low tyre, the sidewalls on the SO2s are unbelievably thick and strong. Check one out off the car if you ever get the chance.

A tyre low in pressure on one side will lead to the car pulling in that direction, and use of the accelerator will just heighten that effect.

BigTed

Carrying a compressor in the boot is a good idea. Anyone used one of those bottled combined air/sealant get-you-home jobbies before? I read the blurb on the outside but it doesn't mention whether using it will render your tyre/inner tube unrepairable/uninflatable afterwards...

Ravskau

I put some of the inflation/sealer in a slow leak tire on my Old Berretta GT. They don't try to use it as a permanent fix but I decided to just see what would happen,
that was about 3 years ago and I think the tread will have already gone away before the sealer fails.

Chris Type R

The mini compressors are only approx 20quid - so I'd rather have one of these than the sealant jobs. I use this instead of going to the garage air pump, because I expect I'll get consistent pressures. Perhaps a good prize donation idea for SM3.

cheshire_carper

cannot vouch for quality......but I`ve bought one and it works......

Makro sell mini compressors, 5.99

Blackdragon69

I got stung once before with the spray-sealant.

I had just got some new Firehawks on my old Civic VTi, and one developed a slow puncture whilst on a trip.

I used the sealant to get to a garage and was then told that they could not repair the simple nail hole in the tyre, because I had used sealant. They showed me the inside of the tire and it was a real mess.

I wont use them again - I only got ~100 miles out of that tyre and then had to buy a new one.

Noony

Zero to 60,

I have had the exact same experiences in both an Accord and an Xr2 in the past.

Low profile tyres generally can go as low as 10 psi without showing any visible change.

I used to judge my slow puncture status by how quickly it would steer under throttle. You should also find that the direction reverses itself under braking, enabling you to snake along the motorway without steering.

You have nothing to worry about. (apart from the puncture repairer damaging your wheel )

Noony.

Tonky

Tempting and convenient as those sealents are, they do make a real mess of the tyre. I understand that they are also a carcen.... (shit) they can cause cancer, potentially anyway. Some places just refuse to touch them and those that do wear disposable gloves.

zero_to60

I now have to hope that the tyre can be repaired.....my first thoughts when the car started to drive itself was that I'd miss the Surrey mini-meet

Lucky I have two rear S03's in my spare room just in case