Actually, a well-applied patch will last the life of the tire. I would stay away from fix-a-flat... the people at the tire shop aren't going to be pleased when they have to clean all that shit out to patch the tire.
Are you sure that it was done on purpose? You'd be surprised at how easily a screw that size will enter your tire just from running it over. The washer on it probably helped hold it at an angle on the ground, just right to stab into your tire. Since it's in the middle of the treads, it's pretty likely that the tire place will be able to patch it and it will be perfectly fine. Advice for you and everyone else, as said in the previous post, AVOID USING FIX-A-FLAT on car tires. The tire shop guys are going to have to clean all that shit out now in order to patch your tire. If your car is new enough to have pressure sensors inside, the fix-a-flat can mess them up, turning a $20 patch job into a $100 sensor, and possibly another couple hundred to have the dealer re-calibrate the system to connect with the new sensor. I'd never use fix-a-flat for anything but bikes, riding mowers, and other non-motorized equipment. A tire plug will seal better than fix-a-flat anyway.
Sunnova B. I wish I had known that before I sprayed that shit in there. I hope the tire guy tomorrow isn't too pissed. Oh, and guess what topped off my bad car day? My fucking check engine light came on. It could be the pressure sensor in the tire though, so I'm not too upset.
To me, having an inexpensive ODB-II scanner is a MUST HAVE tool for any automotive DIYer. Knowing exactly what code your car is throwing makes maintenance so much easier. It isn't 100% fool proof, but a scanner and the factory service manual will solve 95% of all automotive issues. As to the Fix-a-Flat, you'll know better next time. There is a zero percent chance I'll ever be caught spraying that shit into my Volks. I keep a tire plug kit in both cars.
Gonna cost a good $200 to get a new pressure sensor put on. Fucking fix a flat, why the hell sell it if it fucks up your car?
Because people buy it? Seriously this is a good lesson for everyone. NEVER buy ANY* of those Fix-a-(insert major car component here) to legitimately fix your car. Any shit that you pour into your engine, cooling system, tires, etc is not going to fix your car and will more likely fuck things up worse than before. If a little bottle of goo could fix your blown head gasket or busted radiator you would see it on the shelves of every mechanic. (the only exception is Marvel Mystery Oil which literally works miracles on older engines in regards to reducing noise and cleaning up valve train components)
I generally keep a can of fix a flat in my car for when I go on long tours/runs to the middle of nowhere, but it's only used as a last resort to get my ass back to civilization, not as a legitimate fix. And I once had an old POS truck with a fucked up and leaking rad that the fix-a-rad can actually kept running for another 8 months. But otherwise, yeah, bang on advice. Live and learn.
Id like to add another exception to Guys list of fix its that work. Seafoam, that shit will fix anything. Boat running like shit, seafoam it and ran like a dream. Fuel gauge in my corvette jacked up, seafoam cleaned it right up. And there also is a time for fix a flat, my corvette has no spare so I keep one in it.
A little update, my CEL didn't come on at all today...? Not sure if I should have them replace the sensor when they patch the tire. Any suggestions? Could it being colder out now than it was this weekend have anything to do with whether or not the sensor works?
Tire pressure gauges work across a wide range of temps, from well below freezing to very hot. It's the flat-in-a-can crap that's screwed it up. Personally, I'd replace the sensor, otherwise you'll be having errors being thrown, etc. Do it now while it's relatively simple to do. $0.02
Is it really necessary to change your fuel filter as a maintenance item? Have a Toyota Camry. None of the factory scheduled maintenance check list items ask to replace or even check the fuel filter. Auto repair shops love to recommend it obviously...
A lot of cars don't require it unless it's causing problems. In fact, on most new cars, it's a huge pain in the ass to even try and replace it, if you can even get a replacement anywhere but the dealer. If your car is running fine, leave it alone.
Depends. I usually do it more than is recommended, as (at least in my area) gas is getting shittier and shittier. (I also have an older car with an easily accessible and relatively cheap filter). For the same reason, I find that I have to clean injectors way more often than I normally would. I'm a big fan of being safe, not sorry. I'm also enough of a geek that I send my oil off for testing monthly as well (for the turbo-diesel truck and the race car).
Marvel Mystery Oil, Seafoam, and Bar's Radiator Stop Leak Powder. ONLY THE POWDER, not the liquid, not the tablets. I had a small weep at one of the plugs on the radiator of my 84 Camaro, and my dad suggested this. He was very adamant about buying only the powder, in fact he went and bought it for me so I wouldn't screw it up. As long as you catch it when it's a small leak, and don't try to use more than 1 treatment without flushing your coolant, it will fix everything up and cause no problems. Stop Leak Powder is a hell of a lot less likely to sludge up your engine than GM factory coolant (Dex-Cool). Another trick if you have an older car and want to smooth it out a little bit, get some TC-W3 outboard 2-cycle engine oil, and mix it into your gas when you fill up, 1 oz. oil per 5 gallons of gas. It's full of additives that help clean your valves/seats/plugs/combustion chamber, clean and lube your ring packs, and scavenge water from your fuel (ethanol attracts water). It also helps keep the rubber seals conditioned (ethanol dries out rubber). You can get it cheap at wal-mart, as long as it meets the TC-W3 specs it has all the right additives.
If you decide to change out your fuel filter, figure out where it is, and find out if you need any special tools. A lot of them now require a special tool to disconnect the fuel lines. You might have to check around to find a replacement as well, my dad could only get a new filter for his Grand Prix from one parts store in his town, all the others didn't carry them because the computer said they were a "non-serviceable" part.
Anyone upgrade their brakes? I've been thinking of going with a big break kit on my car but dont know if its worth the money. Brembo seems to be the most common but are there others? Nettdata, what do you run on the race car? And is drilled and slotted BS or does it help. I raced for a while, but it was 1/4 to 3/8 mile dirt tracks and we didnt worry about heating brakes.
Some of these do not do full kits, but these the ones i normally go to when getting upgraded brake parts, Baer, Hawk, Performance World, Powerslot, Stainless Steel Brakes, StopTech, Wilwood.
What kind of car and what are you doing with it? In some case where the car already has sport brakes you can see significant performance from changing to a cross drilled rotor. Cross drilled rotors cool faster because there's more surface area on the rotor and they cool evenly rather than from the edges. DO NOT cross drill your own rotors. Whenever I see this I want to punch the person in the face, unless they've re-coated the rotor (which I've never seen done). Also if you buy drilled/slotted rotors spring for good pads too. Nothing sadder than a car with nice rotors rocking OEM pads. Depending on what you're driving a brake diameter/caliper upgrade will provide you with better stopping power but those are a lot more expensive than new rotors. Unless you're going to be racing somewhere I'd stick with rotors and maybe a simple OEM caliper upgrade depending on what the car is.
Thanks for the help. FYI its a 98 corvette with some modifications. I've never raced this car, just drive it pretty hard every chance I get. Its just about time for new pads and Im considering upgrading everything while its apart.