Faced with the same problem, although I had the head of a screw and it was still easy to unscrew, I took it out. As luck would have it, it was a very short screw and there was no puncture. I was prepared to take the wheel tire into a shop if it did have a leak. I figured, better to have a flat in the garage then some place between the garage and the shop. At least the car was in a safe place. Question: How many miles on the tires and where on the tread did you find the nail?

 

Booster...I'm kind of an expert---baptism by fire, so to speak. I have had 3 nails in as many months. You might pull the nail out first. If no leak, you're in luck. If it does go flat and you can remove the tire withouttoo muchtrouble I would do that and take it to the dealer. A shop with less than good equipment can damage the wheel. If there is a leak you will have to replace the tire if you follow what Porsche dictates. Once it has a hole, even if you patch it, it is considered unsafe at high speed. It helps to takeout the wheel/tire insurance. That has already paid for itself in my case. Good luck!


Tony

 

Faced with the same problem, although I had the head of a screw and it was still easy to unscrew, I took it out. As luck would have it, it was a very short screw and there was no puncture. I was prepared to take the wheel tire into a shop if it did have a leak. I figured, better to have a flat in the garage then some place between the garage and the shop. At least the car was in a safe place. Question: How many miles on the tires and where on the tread did you find the nail?

I have 12000 km on the tires - that equates to roughly 6500 miles for my southern cousins. The nail is in the top of the track in the highest surface of the tire, but is imbedded, the head is visible but imbedded, think of a leather chair with those apholstered buttons.

 

My technique is to pry it up using a screwdriver and perhaps needle nose pliers - then spray some soppy water after it is up about 1/8" - if you see any air bubbles leave it in and take it in to to dealer or a tire shop you trust. No bubbles, keep lifting and see how long it is. If it is very short you are in luck. But it is important to try and see if it is leaking before continuing to drive on it. The more you drive with it in, the farther it is likely to work it's way in and cause a leak - if it hasn't already.

 

I had one Booster - but found it due to a flat tire at work. Used the can of tire goo and drove it (at 50 km/h max) to the dealer. They fixed it and sold me a new can for about $100.

But you're a long way from here. Save the goo. Get it fixed properly if it leaks.

BTW - salesman said NO to tracking the car on the repaired tire. Shop guy said NOT a problem.
(For autocross, anyway)

What does every one hear think?

==RedEye

 

I had three nails/screws in three tyres in one evening,luckily the tyres had not gone flat so I drove to the shop.Unluckily all three had to be replaced so I purchased four new Ps2's to replace the original continentals . J

 

RedEye - It it were me, I wouldn't autocross on a repaired tire... the speeds may not be as high as on the track, but the stress on the tires can be very high. You could have a blow-out, and even at the speeds of an autocross, your rim will most certainly be toast.



brad

 

I used to work at Western Auto as a certified mechanic about 10 years ago. I would *never* autox on a repaired tire. The way that most shops repair those tires is to grind down the inside around where the hole is to rough up the surface, then glue a patch on the inside of the tire. That is the best way to repair it, but I certainly wouldn't put my life in its hands on the track. Cheap shops will plug the hole with a piece of rubber. That is even worse. Either way, the wheel will need to be rebalanced which they may or may not do. Someone recommended that you use soapy water to detect if it is leaking. You will find that some leaks do not show up that way. We used to submerge part of the tire into a container and look for bubbles. That is by far a safer way to inspect it.

 

Go with LaBoy's suggestion, at least that is what I would do absolutely.


Russ

 

Well I took it to the local tire shop, requested that an experienced tire man do the repair. They patched from the inside and plugged from the outside. No charge.


Wont be autocrossing but will still be hitting the highway before the snow flies. Will probably order new tires next spring. Question: do i order all four, or if the front still have good wear in them can I get away with just the wider rear traction grabbers.?

 

Booster - with the repair you describe, I wouldn't exceed the maximum posted speed limits - the heat generated at higher speeds could effect that repair - which by the way is the best way to do it (the plug and patch) if you're going to repair the tire. If the fronts still look good, just replace the rears, it's done all the time. Usually you'll find that people are replacing their rears in a 2:1 ratio to the fronts on average.



brad

 

As others here have pointed out, Z rated tires are never to be repaired, as the heat disappation around the damaged area is unpredictable, and the heat build up may cause the adhesive on the tire repair to give up. If you're doing mainly city driving, not prolonged highway or track use, you'll likely be ok. If you buy a set of 4 tires from Tire Rack, you can usually get a road hazard warranty, and Tire Rack understands that these tires cannot be repaired, they don't give you a hard time about replacing them for a puncture like the one you may have. Greg

 

You can get Michelin N rated tires from Costco, but you need to make sure the person that takes your order understands it is a different Costco Part number than the regular tires. Sometimes they just ignore you. Make sure they go to the Michelin catalogue, otherwise you will get a non N spec tire. Costco includes tire hazard with their tires. I need to ask if they replace them or fix them with an Z rated tires. Normally they go by the manufacturers book.

 

Costco seems to be more expensive than TireRack, am I missing something here?

 

I think you all are being overly cautious. If a puncture is small enough, and in the main tread area of the tire, there is no reason why a competent tire technician can't fix it and consider it a permanent repair. The myth that a tire can never be the same again is perpetuated by tire companies (and tire stores) more due to liability issues than true safety issues. If I replaced a tire everytime I had a nail in the past, I would have been better off buying my own tire store.

 

Okay I was checking my tire pressure for a drive that I am doing tomorrow and I noticed a nail. Of course it had to be on a weekend. I have no idea how long it has been in there but the TPMS says all is good and I put soapy water on the area and I see no bubbles.

Should I try and pry the nail out? The rear tire that the nail is in has only 2100 miles on it and it is not in the grove, the nail is in the thickest part of the tire. I know I shouldn't drive on it, since that will only push it deeper into the tire. Although the head of the nail is pretty trashed, so I'm thinking it has been there a while.

Any suggestions? I really want to go on this road trip tomorrow, it is with a bunch of Club members.

 

Well if you pull the nail out you will get a flat if it has gone all the into the tire. If you pull it out and it hasn't then you are good to go. When I had a similar issue Porsche advised me not to drive the car and have it flat bedded to the dealership (60 miles away) for a new tire. Porsche Roadside service said under no circumstances should I chance such a long trip with a nail of unknow length in the tire. I would not drive on it to out of the way Texas on a weekend with the uncertainty involved. There will be other trips.

 

Well if you pull the nail out you will get a flat if it has gone all the into the tire. If you pull it out and it hasn't then you are good to go. When I had a similar issue Porsche advised me not to drive the car and have it flat bedded to the dealership (60 miles away) for a new tire. Porsche Roadside service said under no circumstances should I chance such a long trip with a nail of unknown length in the tire. I would not drive on it to out of the way Texas on a weekend with the uncertainty involved. There will be other trips.

Pretty much my thoughts exactly.

Well I went out and removed what ended up being a screw. A screw that was a total of 1/2 inches long. So I'm thinking it didn't do anything but dig into the tread a bit. Santa Fe, forgive me for asking this question, but I don't want to look it up. Does anyone know how think the tread is?

 

yup drive it right to the tire shop, as soon as I pried mine out the tire went flat and I had to jack and remove the tire and take it down in another vehicle.

 

How long was the nail you pulled out? The screw I pulled out was a total length of 1/2 inch. Less than that was in the tire since the head was poking out.

 

Michelin | Pilot® Sport PS2™ | Tire Construction
Look at this graphic and I think you can see why I feel somewhat confident that your half inch screw didn't do damage to the tire.

 

I took your suggestion and went out for a quick drive and got the tires good and warm. The TPMS did nothing but show pressure increasing. We will see how the pressure looks in the morning.

However, based on the diagram you provided, I see what you mean. That makes it look like the center structure of the tire is close to 1-1/2" thick. I think you are probably right, the tire should be in pretty good shape in the morning.

I'm still buying another one, can't hurt.