Your Vehicle: 2001 Ford Escort ZX2 L4-2.0L DOHC VIN 3
 
Vehicle » Maintenance » Wheels and Tires » Wheels » Service and Repair » Wheel Leaks  
 
 
  Wheel Leaks  
 

NOTE: Wheel repairs that use welding or peening are not approved. An inner tube is not an acceptable repair for leaking wheels or tires.

If the air pressure in a tire mounted on an aluminum wheel is found to be low, the following procedure should be performed before considering wheel replacement.

  1. Remove the tire and wheel assembly, and inspect the wheel for structural damage. If none exists, go to Step 2. If the wheel is damaged, replace it.
  2. With the tire mounted on the wheel, locate the air leak using a water bath or equivalent method and mark the location. Check the complete wheel for possible additional leaks. When leaks are marked, dismount the tire marking valve location on the tire for proper indexing.
  3. On the tire side of the wheel, thoroughly clean the leaking area with an appropriate cleaner (Professional Choke and Linkage Cleaner E8AZ-19A501-AA or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESR-M14P10-A or use sandpaper of approximately 80-grit to remove all contamination. Use the sandpaper to score the surface of the leaking area to improve adhesion of the sealer. If the valve stem is close to the area, remove it.
  4. Use a clean cloth to remove all cleaner or sanding dust.
  5. NOTE: Do not use a torch containing oxyacetylene.

Heat the prepared area with a Heat Gun or a propane torch until Aluminum Wheel Repair Compound E7AZ-19554-A or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESA-M4G280-A flows. Apply a hot melt material over the prepared area using a liberal flow and wiping action. Repair is most effective when heat is applied to the brake side of the rim and sealer is melted by heat in the metal.

  1. Apply only enough heat to melt the sealer, then remove the heat source. After repairing the leak, allow the wheel to cool until it can be handled safely.
  2. CAUTION: Use caution when mounting the tire so as not to damage the sealer.

Index and assemble the tire and wheel. Inflate the tire to the recommended pressure as indicated on the tire pressure decal.

  1. Repeat Step 2 to verify repair.
  2. When the repair is completed, balance the assembly and install it on the vehicle.