OHIO - In a bid to reduce gasoline consumption, particularly in the wake of spiraling fuel prices, Matt Starke had his trucks' tires filled with nitrogen instead of the traditional oxygen.
Starke, owner of NAPA Auto Parts in Mentor and Wickliffe, hopes the move will save about $200 per month in gasoline cost for his fleet of nine trucks.
Starke said he spends at least $27,000 a year on fuel, which is "our uncontrollable expense."
Nitrogen is used in NASCAR and heavy equipment vehicle tires because of its durability, Starke said.
So when he learned the Consumer Tire Inc. offered nitrogen filling system, he didn't waste any time.
So far, the drivers' reaction has been encouraging, Starke said.
"They said there's no need to check the tire pressure frequently and the (tires') pressure is even," he said. "The main reason for switching from air to nitrogen is the fuel economy."
Like Starke, others are filling their vehicles' tires with nitrogen at the service shop, said D.D. Coley, president of Consumer Tire.
The auto repair shop introduced the nitrogen concept three weeks ago after reading about its benefits in a trade magazine.
Oxygen escapes from tires three to four times faster than nitrogen, and under-inflated tires give lower mileage. But nitrogen maintains tire pressure for a longer period, giving higher gas mileage, Coley said.
A $10 fee is charged for filling nitrogen and for rotation of tires. This service is free with the purchase of new tires.
This amount can be recovered in gasoline savings within a short time by long-distance drivers, according to Coley.
Nitrogen doesn't expand in the summer or shrink in the winter, where as oxygen expands in the heat, causing leaks, and shrinks in the cold, resulting in deflated tires.
"It doesn't fluctuate with ambient air temperature," Coley said. "It runs cooler and it doesn't escape (from tires) faster."
Nitrogen molecules, larger than oxygen ones, are more difficult to pass through tires.
Another benefit is the elimination of oxidation.
"Nitrogen is moisture-free, and it eliminates corrosion and damage to the wheel," Coley said.
Wheels are damaged by moisture from oxygen.
Green valve caps are used for nitrogen-filled tires to distinguish them from oxygen-filled tires. Oxygen can be pumped into nitrogen-filled tires, but that will reduce the level of nitrogen.
If the pressure is found lower after a few months, the tires will be refilled with nitrogen for free, according to Coley.
Nitrogen is used in commercial and military aircraft, and even in some racing bicycle tires.
