Sealant blocking pr...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Sealant blocking presto valves

19 Posts
16 Users
0 Reactions
74 Views
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

has anyone successfully prevent this happening?

im thinking putting some grease/Vaseline on the movable parts?

any advice would be appreciated, it’s becoming a pain especially with Fat/Chubby tyres. Got caught, mid ride, the other day, and valve was just not having anything in or out.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:09 am
Posts: 14595
Free Member
 

I replaced one yesterday as it wasn't sealing unless I used pliers on it, as I can normally get away with just unscrewing the nut and pushing the valve stem in and out until the gunk clears (ooh err missus). Admittedly I've probably had it a dozen years (exaggerating.. but it was off a Mavic 819), so replaced it with another much newer valve. I'm think I've probably had my money's worth and should stop scrimping on annoying important stuff like this.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:18 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

When you inflate the tyre, make sure the valve is at the 4 o'clock position so the sealant gets blown out. If you check the pressure, make sure you pump a shot of air into the tyre first to clear any sealant out of the valve.

I use split inner tubes with Schraeder valves to avoid this problem. They have a bigger hole and the valves are dead easy to remove and you can buy replacement valves anywhere.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:21 am
Posts: 6581
Free Member
 

I use Milkit valves. No clogging at all.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:26 am
Posts: 14595
Free Member
 

interesting.. never heard of that system, have you been using it long? (does it work long term)


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:36 am
Posts: 6581
Free Member
 

18 months or so I guess


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:40 am
Posts: 14595
Free Member
 

cheers, I'll probably give that a go


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 11:42 am
Posts: 11884
Full Member
 

I bought a packet of cores off Amazon for a few quid. I just change them when they get bunged up.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 12:41 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Buy a load of cheap cores from eBay or somewhere, change them when they get gunked up.

If you check the pressure, make sure you pump a shot of air into the tyre first to clear any sealant out of the valve.

I dont' see how you can do this - pushing on the pump head normally presses the valve before you can pump any air in.  I'd go the other way and say definitely push the valve to get any jizz out of the valve before putting on your pressure guage (jizz in that *will* screw it up)

Some of my tubeless valves have larger holes in than others - not sure where they came from  - but I figure they're more likely to drain sealant out than the narrow holes.

I've had reasonable success just taking out the cores and cleaning up the seal with my fingers.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 1:30 pm
Posts: 3943
Free Member
 

I periodically remove the cores and clean the gunk off them, that helps


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 1:32 pm
Posts: 10474
Free Member
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Still using tubes ... but with sealant (and not so expensive, not so puncture proof tyres).

Great: (nearly) no flat tyres any more.

Bad: what you describe. The blocking crap...

To avoid the hassle: every 1/2 .... 3/4 year or so I deflate the tyres, take the valves (valve cores) out (sometimes some fat crap is blocking the connection port - even without the valve in. Then I have to use some thin screw driver or so to push the stuff into the tyre...), spray some silicone onto them, put them back and inflate.

Around 1/2 ... 3/4 year is roughly the max for doing that...- and I take some replacement valves (cores) with me.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 3:34 pm
Posts: 11292
Full Member
 

Is that a half or three quarters or somewhere between 1 and 4 years?

I haven't filled my tubes via the valves and I put the valve at 4 o'clock and give a single depress before checking pressure or adding air. Clears the valve and seems to work. Inflating with valve at bottom leaves the valve in the sealant, moving it up a bit clears it (at least in my head).


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 3:45 pm
Posts: 65918
Free Member
 

The cores are very cheap so I just picked up some spares (and I salvaged some from tubes)


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 4:26 pm
Posts: 10225
Free Member
 

I find a core lasts about a year with DT Swiss one before it gets too gunky. Even if you clean it up it can get a bit temperamental so I’ve just bought some spare valve cores. Cost very little so as soon as a valve starts playing up again I’ll just replace the core.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 4:31 pm
Posts: 17187
Full Member
 

Deflate with valve near top of wheel, remove core, wash in warm soapy water, dry, reinstall, pump up. Takes 5 mins maybe and I do it a few times a year I guess.


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 6:15 pm
Posts: 11292
Full Member
 

...I'm obviously doing something wrong as I don't tend to touch the valves once the tyre is inflated...squeeze check and if feeling soft, I check pressure and pump up...

All this chat suggests I'm clearly not doing enough fiddling with them!


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 6:20 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Other day i removed the core and the tire stayed inflated, took a micro screwdriver and tried to clear the crap out that way, worked alright and just cleaned the core while i was at it.

Makes you realise the kinda holes the sealant can seal!


 
Posted : 04/11/2018 6:53 pm
Posts: 3642
Free Member
 

Just take the core out every so often and soak in in some soapy water overnight, clears the gunk and its good to go again.


 
Posted : 05/11/2018 9:40 am
Posts: 551
Free Member
 

Just Schrader valves


 
Posted : 05/11/2018 9:50 am

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!