ilko

So last night I was driving home from PCA Tech Tactics (great event!) and right by Newark my dash lit up - FLAT TIRE! TPMS shows a puncture in the right rear tire, I've already lost 8 psi. I'm still half an hour from home. Great...

So I pulled over, shut off the car and went around to take a peek. I didn't need to look too close because I could hear the loud hissing sound. OK, so the system did its job, it warned me in time. The tire didn't look flat yet.

First things first - I had to take a leak. After that was taken care of I could think much more clearly!

One of my concerns when I bought the 997 was that it has no spare. And not only that, but it lacks the tools to remove a wheel if necessary. So I ended up buying a used Porsche jack off ebay (the heavy duty kind), along with a Gorilla Wrench, and a basic tool kit that you can get at Target. And of course a tire plug kit.

Surprisingly, when I tested the factory tire compressor last summer, it didn't work with the valve stems for some reason, it was too small. So I bought a cheap Chinese one off ebay that did the trick.

All of those things paid off big last night, because I had everything I needed to take care of the flat tire and be back on the road within 30 minutes. I didn't even get my hands dirty! The culprit was a trim screw with a large head that you can actually see in the photo, it was still on the tire!

So I know we complain about the TPMS sensors but they saved my bacon last night. With such low profile tires and the bad roads we have after this crazy winter I may not have noticed a vibration if it wasn't for TPMS.

lexart

Waita minute, looking at the pic, I'm thinking either you had Hunter Auto 28 Tire Changer tucked away neatly in the frunk next to your tire change kit or you're really crafty with Photoshop.

How's did you get the tire off the rim on the side of the road. All under 30 mins, right!

ilko

Not just that, I had this too, lying around in the trunk: http://www.hunter.com/balancer/forcematch/index.cfm

JK, optical illusion! The wheel is black on the inside too, hard to see the outlines in the dark.

Psup4s

wow looks like you made someone real happy at the event....lol
Good to see you made out ok......specially around newark

lexart

Looks like your iPhone camera vaporized the rim

Psup4s

Yup there is no rim in that tire....

lexart

. . . but seriously, love your car. As seen at LRP last summer ALMS race.

TT Surgeon

I've had that happen three times, each time I was able to get the plug in quickly while on the car with the tire hissing. Once on the way to the track in nj at 1am, other two times in winter. The salt spreaders have these big tin basins held together with screws, these come loose and get dispersed, that's the usual winter culprit.
Nicely done ilko!
If anybody doesn't have a plug kit, get one!

93ls1rx7

Which tire plug kits do you guys use? How long do they last?

I assume they are enough to get you home and get a new tire ordered?

ilko

I use this one: http://www.slime.com/shop/tire-plug-...-truck-1034-a/

Tire shops I've spoken to say that a plug exceeds the life of the tire. But I'm planning to have the tire dismounted and a patch put on the inside next time the car is at the shop.

And thank you lexart, can't wait for warmer days!!

Domer911

I've learned how to r/r almost all the interior bits, and I've now replaced my own exhaust system, but this (for good reason) is unbelievably impressive to me. If I thought I had the tools and the ability to do this, I wouldn't agonize over taking a long road trip this summer in my car.

Very impressive. Thanks for posting, and for introducing me to a new project.

Terry Adams

Used it twice without taking wheel off.

Just paid the dealer $1K to replace all 4 TPMS. Would not be without it. Imagine a flat you don't know about till you have shredded a wheel.

4ocious

Never thought about this eventuality, good heads-up. Thanks for posting.

93ls1rx7

Terry that is a nice kit, who makes it?

Zeus993

What's the basic procedure on this? Tx.