Well I finaly pulled the Spark plugs to get a idea of my engine's internals. It had NGK/BMW BKR6EQUP Spark Plugs with 4 side electrodes, they all were a Whitish/Tan. As good as the car ran I was pretty sure it was in good condition so I didn't do a pressure check as I couldn't find my compression tester. And after around a 35 mile circuit that made a large loop of curvy roads I was on my way back and a low tire pressure light came on so I have to take it back in the morning to have them put each wheel in a tub of water to find where the Nitrogen is leaking. They told me the first time it came on as I was coming home after having the new tires installed and did a reset, which is what I had to do before I got home and lost my trip miles so I'll have to get the tank just about empty to try and check my gas mileage again. But I'm almost sure the tire tech may have tore the bead as he was having so much trouble getting the Kumho ESCPTA SPT tires on and if so they will have to replace them because there is less than 250 miles on the tires and I will be pissed! The fronts have around 32 lb. each and the rears are in the upper 20's lb. range and all were set at 35 lb. during the Nitrogen fill just before it hit the alignment machine and I have just drove around locally with the exception of my trip to Little Rock for my V.A. appt: and they told me that it didn't have TMPS valve stems or a ring type on the inside of the wheel so then how did it know the tires were low? :fingers crossed:
The 1st generation cars use a wheel speed sensor. If one wheel is spinning more and not from normal wheelspin when accelerating or cornering the system figures the pressure has dropped in one or more tires. Then the light comes on.
First thing, do not drive on your runflats without air, doing so will ruin the tire. Only do that in an emergency. If you don't have one already pick up a Slime kit with compressor at Wallyworld, about $19. Nice to have when you have a tire problem on the side of the road. Your MINI does not have TPMS sensors. Your MINI uses the abs sensors to detect a low tire. If the temp has dropped since the tires were installed that can account for a loss of pressure & the light. Since the tires are new I'd head back to the shop & have them look at their work. Good luck.
Plugs, Those are the original type & heat range plug in your MINI. Sounds like you have a nice healthy engine judging from your plug reading.
Yup... Gen1 uses the ABS sensors to count tire rotations.... it sensens a sudden change in one tires rpms for a given speed vs the others at a given speed, then gives you a light.... it is good enough to tell you you have a flat tire with run-flats, or a dramatic change with a standard tire....and no batteries or special rims, valve stems needed. Due to regulations governing the specifics of the accuracy of tire PSI monitors, a few of the last gen1 late 2007 to 2008 Cabriolet's DID get a radio frequency monitors similar, but incompatible to the gen2 cars....
I drove about 3 miles with the pressure as it was and will have to drive about 3-4 miles to get to the tire dealer in the morning. I'll pick up a plug in compressor and 4 bottles of Slime on the 14th when I get my S.S. check. Wish I had known that I'd end up with a car that had to run Run Flats I would not have given my compressor to my neighbor 5 years ago. I just called my neighbor, he stay's with his ex-wife more than he does here and ask if he was using the cigarette plug in compressor that I gave him and he said he has never used it as he has a doughnut space saver spare and said he'd give it back seeing as how I never expected to have a car that didn't have a spare so that will save me some money and I'll pick up some Slime to carry in the boot. My neighbor gave me back the compressor this morning when I got back from the tire dealers, now I just have to pick up some Slime. The right rear was leaking the tire techs. said the loss of pressure on the other 3 was because it had been hot durring the day and in the 30's at night, don't seem like it should have lost that much pressure in 18 day's though.:mad2:
The whole nitrogen in the tires always makes me shake my head. It's a road car, not some high test track car,,,just saying:beer
I think if you drive slow 3 miles shouldn't kill it, but that is a guess on my part. You do not have to run runflats on a MINI. Many people do not. The tires on my MINI are of the normal variety.
I'll check the tire pressure before I leave out and if it has dropped any more I'll use the farm compressor to bring the tire pressure up to 32 lb. before I leave out. And I found my Valve Stem Tool and it will go in the glove box along with the tire pressure gauge. The pressure had dropped a couple of pounds all around so I was able to get 32 lb. in all but the right front but it was still at 30 so I went ahead and just drove slow to the tire dealer.
:cornut: Just saying........................as air is already 78-80% Ni , then fill them with 78% Ni (air) and save money. Jason
I've experimented w/ this. Nitrogen has better & more consistent pressure retention. Recalling Chemistry, Nitro ,being an inert & dry gas, doesn't promote moisture, reacts less to temp change than air, & diffuses/permeates thru membranes less than air. Air on the other hand is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen( an active gas), other gases & water vapor since air compressors compress ambient, humid air. Air reacts more to temp change that's why your ride is harsher when tires heat up. I didn't buy this at 1st, but after trying & observing both many times, i just can't deny nitro has better pressure retention. It's no myth. Worth the money? Well, that's relative. Not all my cars have nitro in them. Only the MINI. :cornut:
I have to because mine is a 2003 MCS, the battery is in the boot so no room even for a doughnut. And didn't even come with a jack or lug wrench. It came new with Run Flats as per the owners manual.:mad2:
They did come with a Jack and Lug Wrench. It's in a zippered bag in the boot. Sounds like yours is missing. Next to the battery is foam block that has some other tools and a tow hook.
The tow hook is in the pannel on the left side, I looked for the lug wrench on the right pannel in the boot. I'll look around the battery again and see if I can find the lug wrench but there is no jack so I'll just pick up a aluminum race floor jack and keep in the boot along with my compressor. The tow hook was in a small plactic pouch with a snap on it.
I keep the donut standing behind the passenger seat. With the passenger seat moved all the way back the donut sits tightly in that space.
I loose rubber faster than air. I have no slime kit, no pump, no run flats, no spare and the only tool in my car is me.