Cleaning sealant out of presta valve cores

[Spike-X]

Tried taking them apart, it works but its a pain.

This bloke I linked is $3.50 for 10. I usually buy ~30 at a time.

All that work to save 35c. Ok.

 

[ozzybmx]

All that work to save 35c. Ok.

Its hardly about the money In this house, we have destroyed tyres, derailleurs, helmets, clothing ect every other week.

Its 100% about recycling... rather than amassing these mechanically sound valve cores, just with some latex gunge stopping them doing what they are meant to do, then binning them.

 

[Spike-X]

Saving the planet, 35c at a time!

 

[Jpez]

Is along the same lines as cleaning out and reusing a condom?

 

[ozzybmx]

Saving the planet, 35c at a time!

Yeah, I suppose so. Look at it like throwing your 10c beer bottles in the waste bin because you can't be bothered taking a trip to the recyclers.

Got about 40-50 perfectly good, but bungled valves here, if someone here had a easy fix to clean them, I'm all up for giving it a go.

 

[shiny]

I must be doing something wrong, I run the same tubeless valves for years with no issues. Can still pump and deflate tyres as needed. Do they get so clogged you cannot pump up your tyres or other issues? Will go and pull apart a valve later today to see what it looks like inside.

 

[link1896]

I have 5yo valves I’ve never pulled apart, stans and orange used. Zero issues. I’m also wondering what I’m doing wrong

I am in Victoria so it is cooler down here. How cold? 17c today.

 

[ozzybmx]

I never used to go through as many.

Not sure if its using different sealants these days other than Stans, the popularity of high volume pumps and the feeling of trying to push air through a semi blocked valve with more volume than pressure or my anal approach to tyre pressures, running carbon wheels on nearly every bike... and making my boys check pressures are correct before every ride.

I go through a lot of sealant and anyone with kids running tubeless and several bikes of their own will know, 3-4L a year is pretty standard.
For years, I 100% used to buy Stans but these days I buy on sale at HiBike or BC, this can be Stans, Schwalbe, E-Thirteen, Tune, Joes, Effito or whatever.

Also my boys, ride bike, spin valve to the top, unscrew the core and blow sealant out... every time. Then I hear "Dad this valve's blocked"... like its just a given that the valves fail on its own after a certain number of uses.

Might try @Ackland drop in a small bottle of Isopropyl Alco and shake every so often.

 

[Ackland]

Probably also depends on the valve stems you're using and your methods for adding sealant.

I use a large diameter stem that a thin rubber tube fits through to extract old and install new sealant.

I'll also blow some air through the stem before installing a new core to blow the sealant out.

 

[ozzybmx]

Probably also depends on the valve stems you're using and your methods for adding sealant.

I use a large diameter stem that a thin rubber tube fits through to extract old and install new sealant.

I'll also blow some air through the stem before installing a new core to blow the sealant out.

I pop the tyre at the side and pour it in.

Very rarely do I add it through the valve stem... usually when we are away somewhere and someone either loses a lot through a puncture hole or a burp.

 

[Spike-X]

I always add through the valve stem. One of my bikes is still running the original valves 2 1/2 years after being converted. The other only has new valves because I got new wheels and they came with the wheels. The originals were still going fine after nearly two years.

 

[moorey]

I have 5yo valves I’ve never pulled apart, stans and orange used. Zero issues. I’m also wondering what I’m doing wrong

I am in Victoria so it is cooler down here. How cold? 17c today.

Lucky bugger. Was wet and about 10 for today race, and my mate at Buller got a big dump of snow. Hello summer.

 

[mark22]

Helps if you keep the valve at 6 o'clock when parking so the sealant drains away from the core.

 

[moorey]

Helps if you keep the valve at 6 o'clock when parking so the sealant drains away from the core.

AM or PM?

 

[Ultra Lord]

AM or PM?

Clock orientation doesn’t change between the two?

 

[moorey]

Clock orientation doesn’t change between the two?

But do I park the bike morning or afternoon?

 

[Ultra Lord]

But do I park the bike morning or afternoon?

what are you doing with the valves every other hour?

 

[moorey]

what are you doing with the valves every other hour?

Riding them. Duh.

 

[hifiandmtb]

Daylight savings causes flats.