corroded valve stem caps

[steve1990]

This problem was brought to my attention this morning when I brought my car to get the oil change, they said they could only get 1 of the 4 caps off to check the tire pressure, not wanting to break anything they left them alone but now I’m left with the task, What are some ways to remove corroded aluminum valve stem caps? I tried soaking them with WD40 but it still wasn’t budging
thanks for any help guys

Topic

[Bill]

You might let a reputable tire shop handle the job. If something breaks at least they should have a replacement in stock. If they are valve stems for tire pressure monitors they could be a little expensive however.

When everything that is needed is replaced, a little silicone grease on the stems before installing the caps should prevent it from happening again.

[Dave]

If they are TPMS stems they shouldn’t have metal caps on them because this happens resulting in the need for new sensors. You could try using a dremel tool to notch the cap relieving the pressure from the corrosion releasing it.

[Miguel]

try taking a razor blade and cutting a slit into them then just peel them off

[EricTheCarGuy]

That’s a common problem unfortunately. WD-40 won’t cut it. You’ll need a better penetrating oil like PB blaster or something. I take a pair of channel locks or pliers to twist the cap off after that. Once I have them off, I replace them with plastic caps to avoid future issues.

[steve1990]

Thanks for the replies guys, I did go out and buy pb blaster and I let that soak for a good amount of time, After that didn’t work and since the valve stems themselves aren’t long enough to get two wrenches on it, I slso tried with just one wrench and the whole stem just wants to spin so I’ve decided I don’t want to break anything myself so I went back to the garage that pointed out the problem and I’m going to have them do it Tuesday morning. I’ll keep you guys posted on what happens

[Author]

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