Tire pressure sensors
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Toms007
Moderator
Well, I'd like to be the first to welcome you to CAC. You've come to the right place for answers, I can't help you with this one, but someone will be along to give you some help. 
SJBrothers
Member
Never tried it but...
I have a 98 vett that I bought last year and it did not have a tire pressure monitor in one wheel. I bought new ones and replaced the missing monitor. It sounds like you want to know if your new monitor is working before you mount them and you are going to make a pvc pipe chamber to test the unit, right? Unless you are worried about the accuracy of the unit then you could check it's functionality with a magnet. What are you wanting? accuracy or function?
I have a 98 vett that I bought last year and it did not have a tire pressure monitor in one wheel. I bought new ones and replaced the missing monitor. It sounds like you want to know if your new monitor is working before you mount them and you are going to make a pvc pipe chamber to test the unit, right? Unless you are worried about the accuracy of the unit then you could check it's functionality with a magnet. What are you wanting? accuracy or function?
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50ANNV
Member
tire pressure
Yes, I just want to make sure the sensors work. I do not want to spend the money or time to have the tires dismounted and remounted and take a chance that something will get messed up in the process if the sensors are dead. I What I have done id to make 4 PVC "test tubes" I set one at each tire and started the car. No good. Does the car need to be moving? I understand one cannot calibrate the sensors other then which corner of the car they are on? I built 4 tubes thinking I could lower pressure in each one x one to find which corner they were for? I have not heard of the magnet test, please tell me more. Thanks!
Yes, I just want to make sure the sensors work. I do not want to spend the money or time to have the tires dismounted and remounted and take a chance that something will get messed up in the process if the sensors are dead. I What I have done id to make 4 PVC "test tubes" I set one at each tire and started the car. No good. Does the car need to be moving? I understand one cannot calibrate the sensors other then which corner of the car they are on? I built 4 tubes thinking I could lower pressure in each one x one to find which corner they were for? I have not heard of the magnet test, please tell me more. Thanks!
SJBrothers
Member
the monitors are operated by a switch which activates when the tires start rolling. To activate them during installation you use a magnet to activate the switch. The programming is handled through the DIC. Here is the procedure from another forum.
TPMs. 1) Turn ignition on 2) Press "Reset" button in order to clear any IPC display warning messages 3) Press and release the "Options" button on the DIC to scroll through the display options until the IPC display is blank 4) Press and hold the DIC "Reset" button for 3 seconds 5) Press the "Options" button again until TIRE TRAINING message appears 6) Press "Reset" button until the IPC "Learn L Front Tire" message appears in order to begin the programming 7) Install the J41760 Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) System Programming Tool (large magnet will do) over the left front valve stem 8) The horn will sound, indicating the left front TPM sensor is programmed (if this takes more than 15 seconds, pull magnet back and try again, it will give you three tries. Then you must start over) 9) When the horn sounds, proceed to program the next TPM sensor in the following order as directed by the IPC messages: -Learn R Front Tire -Learn R Rear Tire -Learn L Rear Tire Programming can be canceled by turning ignition off, waiting 2 minutes with no sensors being learned, finishing all 4 wheels or through the DIC. If the programming is canceled with less than 4 sensors learned, it will only accept the codes programmed up to that point.flag:
TPMs. 1) Turn ignition on 2) Press "Reset" button in order to clear any IPC display warning messages 3) Press and release the "Options" button on the DIC to scroll through the display options until the IPC display is blank 4) Press and hold the DIC "Reset" button for 3 seconds 5) Press the "Options" button again until TIRE TRAINING message appears 6) Press "Reset" button until the IPC "Learn L Front Tire" message appears in order to begin the programming 7) Install the J41760 Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) System Programming Tool (large magnet will do) over the left front valve stem 8) The horn will sound, indicating the left front TPM sensor is programmed (if this takes more than 15 seconds, pull magnet back and try again, it will give you three tries. Then you must start over) 9) When the horn sounds, proceed to program the next TPM sensor in the following order as directed by the IPC messages: -Learn R Front Tire -Learn R Rear Tire -Learn L Rear Tire Programming can be canceled by turning ignition off, waiting 2 minutes with no sensors being learned, finishing all 4 wheels or through the DIC. If the programming is canceled with less than 4 sensors learned, it will only accept the codes programmed up to that point.flag:
njlouc
Well-known member
I agree with SJBrothers.
To add a little: you can buy some interesting gizmos for this purpose but the best/cheapest is a magnet. When we say a magnet it is not anything special - I use an old speaker magnet. They are powerful and you can get them for $0. Hold it on top of the valve stem and that closes the centrifugal switch that is normally activated when the wheel spins.
FYI - If it works at all it is probably accurate. test your spares as if they were installed in your car. your installed ones will probably not interfere since they are shut off. You may have to redo your installed ones after you are done but I am not sure.
The weak point on these is the battery. They are sealed in and have a life of ~8-10 years. Some NOS may already be on the way out.
Also if they need replacement you can just mark the tire and break the bead to reinstall you really dont need to dismount/rebalance.
To add a little: you can buy some interesting gizmos for this purpose but the best/cheapest is a magnet. When we say a magnet it is not anything special - I use an old speaker magnet. They are powerful and you can get them for $0. Hold it on top of the valve stem and that closes the centrifugal switch that is normally activated when the wheel spins.
FYI - If it works at all it is probably accurate. test your spares as if they were installed in your car. your installed ones will probably not interfere since they are shut off. You may have to redo your installed ones after you are done but I am not sure.
The weak point on these is the battery. They are sealed in and have a life of ~8-10 years. Some NOS may already be on the way out.
Also if they need replacement you can just mark the tire and break the bead to reinstall you really dont need to dismount/rebalance.
WLS Ruby 93
Well-known member
Wheel Sensors
If anyone would post a picture of a wheel sensor so we can all see what one looks like it would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Keep 'em rollin' :W
Bill
If anyone would post a picture of a wheel sensor so we can all see what one looks like it would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Keep 'em rollin' :W
Bill
njlouc
Well-known member
c5y2k
Well-known member
SJB nailed it. The sensors do not activate until they start spinning which is around 15mph.
SJBrothers
Member
I like to experiment and since you have built chambers and mounted the monitors you could probably activate them by placing one in a nylon stocking (assumption here is you have a friend that wears them) and spinning it while going thru the activating step. What would be interesting to know is would it also read the pressure if you depress the gage but on the DIC and get the reading. Let us know what you did and results...
SJBrothers
Member
napacruzerC5
Well-known member
With apologies to the OP since this does not apply to our C5s (at least I don't think so). Anyway on a racing forum the questions was asked why even run a TPMS system on a C6Z06. Apparently if the ECM can't read a sensor the car defaults to a "flat tire" mode and you cannot turn off any of the electronic nannies (active handling etc.) or let you run "competative driving". Obviously you can't track a car with all the nannies still on and the car "thinking" it has a flat tire. Well that's progress for you.:eyerole
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Shaggyvette
Well-known member
Let me just throw in another question. Since I have only one tps that's not working, can I just test the one and leave the rest alone?
confused:confused
Dave
confused:confusedDave
Shaggyvette
Well-known member
TTT anyone?
SJBrothers
Member
Once started it looks for four
I remember reading that once you start the sequence the procedure must be completed and only reads the tpm's you have programed. Which one are you missing? I can check to see the sequence and it may be the one you want to check is the last one normally checked.
I remember reading that once you start the sequence the procedure must be completed and only reads the tpm's you have programed. Which one are you missing? I can check to see the sequence and it may be the one you want to check is the last one normally checked.
Shaggyvette
Well-known member
It's the first one in the order that is not reading. Left front.
SJBrothers
Member
OK, if you get a magnet and put it on the module you want to test then it will be read as the left front, then you would have to use the magnet and proceed to activate and program the other three wheels. This should tell you the new module is working. I would guess you could take a ride and if you put the magnet back on the new module you would get a warning that the left front wheel has 0 pressure. The other three modules would read as they did before. Does this make sense?
njlouc
Well-known member
Not being an expert.....
If you test an outside one with a magnet the others in the wheels are shut off.
When you start driving the computer looks for a signal and it will come from the mounted ones. They will not be affected since during the test they were off ?????
If you test an outside one with a magnet the others in the wheels are shut off.
When you start driving the computer looks for a signal and it will come from the mounted ones. They will not be affected since during the test they were off ?????
Shaggyvette
Well-known member
In short what you guys are saying is, I have to re-set all 4 wheels with the magnet. Right?confused
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