Can valve stems be replaced?

I just put new tires and tubes on my mountain bike last night. The tubes have been sitting in my closet for several years, never used. (I haven't ridden this bike in at least 4 years.)

When I got home from work tonight, I found the front tire had gone totally flat. I removed the tube, pumped it up, and immediately felt the air slowly leaking out of the valve. The tube itself has no holes.

Is it possible to have the valve stem replaced, or is the tube trash? It's a schrader.

I'm not even sure what brand it was...

That happens to me a fair bit. (For me, it's not the valve, but the rubber around the valve.)

The tube is trash, since you can't really replace the valve as far as I know, and if it is the rubber, that area is going to be hard to patch.

You should be able to replace the valve core on any Schrader valve. You just need a valve core tool and the new valve core.

Valve cores on some presta valves can also be replaced, but this is becoming less common.

Do a Google search for "schrader valve core" and "valve core removal tool" to see what you're looking for. A plastic valve core removal tool comes with Slime tire sealant. (Not that I'm recommending Slime. :))

Some tubes do have replaceable valve cores. There is a tool (used to come on lots of valves year ago) used to unscrew a valve core and replace it. However, if you take it to a bike shop, they'll probably just replace the tube.

If it's a Schraeder valve and you don't have a LBS you trust not to argue with you and try to sell you a new tube, take it to a motorcycle shop.


That's provided it actually is the valve core, and not the attachment of the valve stem to the tube where Owlie mentioned. You dunked it in water and all that I assume.

I didn't need to dunk it in water. I can feel the air coming out of the valve. Like when you push in the pin, only not as fast.