Tire pressure - would you use 3psi more than spec since the car is warmed up?

My 2000 Acura Integra has 32/30psi (rear) spec.

Car was driven and the mechanic said 3psi above since the spec is for cold air.

I went with him and it used to be a bit bumpy at 35psi but not today.

What do you all do?

. I think it’s a flip of the coin. Personally, if I were the only person to ride in the car 90% of the time 32 works for me. When my wife takes a loaded car, I make sure it’s at 35 lbs. I would say, stay with 32 lbs and add pressure as needed for loads.

I always keep mine a little higher in warm or cold temps. No more then 5lbs though. 3 is about right. Mine are suppose to be 32…I set it to 35.

I find if the tires are a little overinflated, they will leak down to the recommended pressure by the time I check again. This seems to improve gas mileage vs. starting at 32 psi and dropping to 29 or so when I fill again.

The mechanic can’t come to your house and inflate the tires when they are cold so he must compensate/estimate the warm fill pressure to achieve your 32/30 cold specification.

Check your tires when cold and see if they are closer to 32 PSI than 35.

I always add 2-3 lb to cold tire pressures if filling them after car has been driver at least 7 miles.

Yeah I put a few pounds more in depending on the time of year. I adjusted mine already for winter but the car sits in the garage at about 40-50 degrees. Yesterday when it was out all day in zero weather, I noticed it easily lost one to two pounds due to the temp. So they could use another pound or two.

Add me to the list of 2-3 over. I check the pressure in my garage and have a foot pump that gives me good workout. I am in South CA, so the lowest temp outside is 32. When I was in CT, we didn’t have a garage so still would do 2-3 above.

2-3 above is perfectly fine. Don’t overthink it.

More blowouts are caused by under inflated tires vs overinflated tires. Now in my book I would rather error on the high side than the low side, but a tire pressure gauge is a good tool for you. Check it cold and see how close it is.

Or you could use nitrogen and never have to worry about air pressure again.

Now Dag, you need to put a :wink: with a comment like that…

@dagosa I got free nitrogen with my last tires, caps are green, are you saying nitrogen filled tires at all temps are the same?

Nope, he’s joking.

@Barkydog: So THAT’S what those green caps mean! Never knew that.

@nybo as far as I now that is the explanation, so now all the cartalk guys can look and say jees what an idiot paying for nitrogen, I was thinking I may need a bumper sticker, I got the nitrogen for free so…

Thanks all

It turned out to be at about 27psi before inflation - which had made turning the steering harder too. Now its very easy.

I am very meticulous - not sure how I let it drop to 27psi - believe the cold weather took 3psi.

@texases " you need to put a :slight_smile:

What? And be so obvious. How else can we stir the pot ? Besides, nitrogen is like…magic. A man with a little green hat riding a city cycle with a compressor checks the pressure of all cars with little green caps while the owners are at work…it comes with the nitrogen warranty.

Oh no, not the nitrogen debate again… :slight_smile:

The last time someone offered to fill my tires with nitrogen (for a fee naturally), I mentioned that the air we breathe is already 78% nitrogen, so just how much good would the extra 22% do me? I was met with a blank stare as though I’d lapsed into Swahili.