Numpty car tyre + compressor question

So, I have a compressor with a head that looks like this and a gauge attached to it:

I tried to inflate my car tyres with it, but only succeeded in letting air out. I then admitted defeat, went to the garage and coughed up 50p for the pump there. The attachment at the garage had two heads. One that looked like my compressor’s one, and another that looked – well – different. I used the different one and my tyres pumped up a treat.

What am I doing wrong? Do I need to buy some special attachment just to use it with a car tyre valve? I looked on eBay for Schrader valve adapters, but that didn’t turn up anything special. In fact, I have a Presta adapter to use with tubeless tyres.

I feel more foolish than usual right now.

Squeeze clip, shove onto valve, release clip, stop shoving.

If it lets air out repeat, but shove harder.

Ah! So it’s not depressing the valve far enough when I pussyfoot around?

Probably depressing the pin in the centre of the valve far enough to let the air out, but not being pressed hard enough to make a seal against the valve stem.

Probably not. Does it inflate bike tyres well?

Is the nut fixing between the tubing and the gauge done up tightly enough to stop air leaks here?

You can unscrew it there and screw on various other bits of tubing if that one doesn’t work well. I got one from eBay for about £1.20 (all the way from China) and it works fine on my car tyres.

Bike tyres go up a treat.

PTFE tape on the gauge and tubing interface so it seems pretty solid.

I reckon it’s the seal against the valve. Been gouged 50p by the garage, so I’ll let it go for now 🙁

i have the same inflator and confirm that it does indeed work well for inflating car tires…..

Squeeze the side clip – push it on firmly , release the side clip and inflate..

Thanks. I’ll do another pressure check with the tyres running cold and have another go.

Looks the same as mine [Aldi one] and it pumps up car tyres with no problem. Has a push on adapter for bike valves.