I have been reading about non runflats and people carrying slime just incase there is a flat. I was told that slime will destroy the tire sensor. Has anybody else heard this?

 

There is no tire/wheel sensor inside the wheel on the Minis. They use the traction control/ABS to sense rotational speed to monitor tire pressure, so no worries there. Sure makes a mess of the valve on the wheel, but thats a cheap fix/replacement, especially if it gets you back down the road.

 

What tire sensor is that then ????

 

Can't answer your question but the TPMS on a MINI uses the ABS sensors, not sensors in the wheels.

 

I understand some tire repair shops won't repair tires that have slime injected in them. I don't know that this is fact. I have a "Conti Comfort Kit"
I got thru the Tire Rack. The sealant they use is not suppose to gunk up the inside of the tire. I have never had to use it so I don't know if that's fact or not. You might check with Alex at the Tire Rack for his opinon.

 

The green "Slime" product is water soluble. The "Fix a Flat" aerosol can products typically make a mess of the valve, rim, etc... and can be difficult to clean.

I carry a Slime kit w/ compressor along with a plug kit in my car:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=slime

 

On a Conti Comfort Kit how do you inject the sealant that is not suppose to gunk up the inside of the tire?

 

Slime is water soluable, so it washes right off.

 

The Conti kit's gunk is water soluble. They say it can be washed out easily. Thankfully I haven't had to find out [knock on wood].

 

Some shops won't touch tires with Fix-A-Flat in them, but Slime should be no issue.

I transitioned to non-run flats and now carry the Slime kit with a compressor and a Dynaplug tool with a handful of patch sticks (to be used with the Slime compressor to re-inflate). I also have a donut spare from a MC in a bag that I'll carry on club drives or long-ish trips. On really long trips, I'll throw one of my track wheels/tires in the back and lash it down with bungies... just in case. The donut might get me to the next town, but I might not be able to find my tire size quickly enough to not impact my trip (that, and I'm a control freak :D )

 

It's the "Fix-a-Flat" stuff that the tire repair guys hate. The "Slime" seals the puncture but will wash out when the tire is taken for permanent repair, but the other stuff is like an adhesive.

 

The sealant and compressor are in one unit. You break a seal on the compressor (indicates that it has been used) an twist one section of the unit. Then inflate the tire. People are also carrying Dynaplug to plug nail holes, and only uses sealants as a last resort.

 

Hate to break it to you, but I just took delivery of my new MCS, and it has sensors on the valve stems. I ordered new 17" American Racing wheels and non-run flat tires, picked up my car, went to the tire dealer to get the new wheels installed, and they said they can't legally install the wheels without the sensors.

Another wait ....(special order)!

Cost of four sensors ...TWO HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS!

Pretty expensive for (mandatory) sensors the size of a zippo lighter.

Cheap labor, faster production of electronics DOES NOT mean cheaper prices. I MUST get them, no choice.

 

hate to ruin it for you alicecooper but the mini uses an indirect TPMS which measures the tire rotations....
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=83871

 

My valve stems look nothing like normal valve stems. All metal, no rubber stem.

I went back to the dealer I bought the car from, the service rep made a phone call to Mini, I received one of the first early batches of the new tire sensors that they will be installing on all tires, as per the TREAD Act.

http://www.dunntire.com/Learning_Cen...toring_Systems
The TREAD Act made it mandatory for automobile manufacturers to include dashboard low-tire-pressure were first required in 10% of new vehicles in 2004, increasing to 100% of new vehicles by 2007.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) include four pressure and temperature sensors, one affixed to each wheel.
_____________________________________________

This is an actual pressure measuring system. BMW is changing over from the ABS sensor Low Tire Monitor to the direct-sensing Tire Pressure Monitor. New USA regulations (FMVSS 138) require accuracy beyond the capability of the traditional ABS type. Direct measurement systems don't have to display the pressures (cost, dash space), they just have to illuminate a lamp.

 

So ..... They could have legally mounted the tires on your new rims and balanced them. Could You have then put them on and drove with them.....or is this breaking some sort of ridiculus new law also!!

The big question becomes what happens when you do that? Does the car throw codes that have to be dealer reset, or just warning lights? This is a major concern to those of us that swap tires for AutoX events!!!!

I'd like to demand that MINI attach these sensors with steel bands to the rim and not permanantly attach to the valve stem. This would allow you to move the sensors to another rim.

 

Good question, Speedwing.

The tire dealer I bought the mags from said, it was against the law to install the wheels on my car without the sensors. They would not do it. I could have installed wheels\tires myself without sensors, but was told by tire dealer, it would constantly set off the warnings. Don't know yet if I'd be breaking the law or what has to be reset.

This is all totally new stuff to me. Never had runflats or these expensive sensors before.

 

My new S came off the boat last week, trucked Monday and was delivered to me Tuesday (advantage of living near port of entry)

No wheel sensors - standard valves and tire warning is via ABS - 16's....owner's manual describes the system.

Same system as in my 02 .....

All ya need to do to get metal stems from a tire dealer is pay $3 more per wheel...... Metal valve caps at AutoZone are a dollar for a bag of 'em....

 

My car came off the trailer wed. The last time I was at the dealer, talking to the service rep (yesterday) about the sensors, and the weeping on my hood, etching my clearcoat, I looked over the rest of the Minis in their lot.
Only a few beside mine had sensors.

The valve stem cover is bigger, grey plastic. On it, it says, "TPM INSIDE - RESET TPM"

Lucky me!

 

Just thought of something else. Forget about using slime or such, in a pinch. Unless you want to buy a new sensor at $60 ea.

 

I consider this an open question btw.....

My dealer has yet to see a car with sensors in the wheels (stems).....(he's 2 hrs from JAX....)

 

At MOTD earlier this year - the MINI accessories rep gave a presentation about new R56 products. One of the new products were valve stem caps that were for the R56 TPMS. Couldn't figure out at the time what the big deals with these valve stem caps were... but I suppose what alicecooper has is the tip of the iceberg.

 

Interestingly, a report regarding pressure monitoring systems that the NHTSA commissioned as part of the TREAD act found that direct-measuring pressure sensors would only add about $66 to the cost of producing a car. I guess $66 turns into $230 after profits and other markups!

 

I wonder how many congressmen own stock in TPM $ensor companies? There are more than a few, entire pc motherboards, that cost $60 or even less. They have hundreds and hundreds of parts and multiple IC chips.
The TPM sensor is a simple transducer, the size of a zippo lighter, with very, very minimal parts in it.

What's the difference?
One of the above is required by law. What a rip-off.

I wonder how long the warranty is. It is mandatory now, just like a catalitic convertor. For $235, it should be the life of the car.

 

Well, each sensor also has an RF transmitter in it, and usually a battery. The designed life span of the battery is 10 years - wonder who will foot the bill when the batteries start dying?

But still, considing that there will be tens of millions of these sensors produced every year for the U.S. market alone, simple economy of scale should make them cost less much less than $235 for a set.

EDIT - Also, I don't know if this is true of the sensors that MINI uses, but some of the sensors must be programmed to work with the car once they've been installed. So if you replace the sensors, it could potentially mean a trip to the dealer for programming.