The Mystery of the Valve Stem Cover
I have a tire that likes to leak a little air from the valve stem. Well....more that it is super sensitive to any moisture in the air - and when the temperature drops, the valve stem releases a little pressure. Never too much - always equalizes about down 10 PSI - but I typically run over and put air in the tire at that point at the Gas Station a couple of miles away. It can go months.....or days...depending upon the position of the valve stem. (Yeah - I know - get a new tire!!)
On Sunday - before running to BG for the King's third hockey game of the weekend - Mr. Oz sweetly decided to stop and top up the air in the offending tire (it was registering off about 6 psi). And being an awesome Hubby - he also decided to make sure that the other three had the appropriate pressure as well (although they weren't registering low).
As we pulled away - we noticed that one of the tires - not the typical offender - was slowly losing PSI. A mile later, we stopped at another Gas Station and Mr. Oz noted that the valve stem on that one was leaking a little air. He re-pressurized it...made sure the stem was straight, and off we went.
On our way back home later - Mr. Oz noted that yet another of the original non-offending tires was now registering low. Again, we stopped and he reinflated. All was well.
Flash to last evening.
I hopped in the car last night to make the traditional daily "Run to Sautter's to pick up something for dinner". (It is a longstanding tradition - begun by my beautiful mother, lol).
Tire #3 (the non-original offender) was again low - down 10 PSI. I thought "Well, I will see if Sautter's has any valve stem covers in their limited little hardware section, and if not, I will see if the gas station next door has any after I put more air in the tire and see if I can straighten the stem by the catch inside the valve cover".
Small Backstory - about a year and a half ago, I had taken the valve stem covers off the tires and placed them in my cupholder. Of course - someone wanted to put something in the cupholder - and I don't remember who - but the 4 covers were placed somewhere "safe" in the car - and they are still safe to this moment because I have no clue where they are)
Sautters was a Nope. The Gas Station - post air - was a Nope. Crud. Quick check of the door panel, quick check in the glasses compartment, quick check in the center console - Nuttin. "Ah well", I thought. I'll have to remember to pick some up in the hopes of stopping the issues with the stupid valve stems.
This morning, I walked into my home office. Coming around my desk I noticed something odd. 1 single Valve Stem Cover sitting on the upper corner of my desk. Just one. "That's weird!" I thought. (No one goes into my office - and to be honest, I just recently set up this desk (within the last monthish) and the desk is pretty much clean other than some mail that I have dropped on it. ).
One. Valve. Stem. Cover.
Chuckling, I said out loud, "Thanks Dad, I appreciate it"; this is totally something that he would have done were he still here. And continued on with my morning.
At lunchtime, I wandered out to my car to run down to the corner to pick up some coffee. For some reason, I picked up the valve stem cover on my way out of my office and dropped it in my pocket.
Firing up the car - "Bing" went the low tire warning. The third tire was at 12 PSI - down 25 PSI. Slowly I made my way to the gas station...and re inflated. And popped on the valve stem cover. And again said "Thanks Dad". And went on my merry way.
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