How To Fix A Hydraulic Floor Jack Reservoir

Depending on the make and model of the jack some can hold up to a pint of fluid.

How to fix a hydraulic floor jack reservoir.

A substitute for hydraulic fluid is 5w 30 motor oil. If the level of oil in the floor jack is lesser than the recommended level then you can refill it. Fill the chamber with hydraulic fluid. Hydraulic jack how it works animation a hydraulic jack uses a liquid which is incompressible that is forced into a cylinder by a pump plunger.

When this occurs the air starts to accumulate in the unit preventing it to lift. Step 2 remove plug on cylinder. Be sure to check the levels of the hydraulic fluid regularly. They are easy to repair and it can save you 150 200.

If any type of debris or dirt gets into the hydraulic fluid it can do a lot of damage to the inside of the cylinders. Hydraulic fluid would be best but oil can be used temporarily. Wipe off excess oil then test it. Use the funnel to guide the fluid into the cylinder.

Step 2 remove any excess air from the jack by opening the release valve and vigorously pumping the handle. Make sure that you use the best hydraulic oil and not some cheaper alternative. Another possible reason why the floor jack s ram won t lift is due to lack of enough oil in the reservoir. Refill the reservoir until it s full then place the seal cap back.

Anytime you are going to be working on or maintaining your hydraulic floor jack it must be clean before starting. After which turn the jack s release position and pump it a few times to purge the accumulated air out. For detailed instructions on how to change hydraulic oil for both floor and bottle jacks please refer to this video. Open the reservoir cap and fill it with hydraulic oil until it is about 1 4 inch below the level of the hole when the jack is on its side.