• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Help, Jacks jack

Share this page

jlaird

jlaird

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
My floor jack has decided to stumble.

Will only raise a few inchs then just goes up and down a bit when pumped. Yep it is full of jack oil.

I lookied on line and even called sears, no IPB as it is so old, looks like new though. They said take it to sears and they would fix. Shoot, no reason I can't do it.

I would expect that a valve is stuck but have no idea where they are hidden. Any hints folks.

Thanks, Jack
 
Jack, I would think that the check valve that controls the up/down would be just below the shaft for the pump itself. But, if it goes up partially and then stops working it could be something else. Might be that the cylinder is scored in that area and can't make enough power to get past it. I don't know, to be honest though, I usually just through them out if they start doing that. Mostly only by the cheaper floor jacks so they are almost disposable...It really sounds like the jack is running out of oil before it gets the cylinder filled. Pretty much just rambling to be honest. I've never taken a jack apart.
JC
 
Heh, I never have either but there is going to be a first time here. It's not working now so there is no risk. LOL.
 
Jack:

I have never taken apart a Jack either, always replaced them. My first though, was fluid level too. Had a hydraulic press that used to leak and when it was low on fluid, it would have the same effect.

Be careful if appears to working, remember to use Jack stands.

Good Luck, curious how you make out.
Patrick
 
I always use jack stands, always.

It seems that, with partial disassembly, that when I pump it there is a check valve of some sort that is stuck in the open position. It lets the oil go through and then allows it to ruturn returning. Now question is where is that check valve, Must be under the pump shaft don't ya think? Maybe.
 
If it works the way I think it works...(rarely does this happen though). One side of the cylinder will act as a sump for the power side. There should be small lines hooked to both sides of the cylinder. When you pick up on the jack handle, a check valve will open to allow the small cylinder connected to the jack handle to fill while the other will seat to prevent it from sucking oil from the power side. When you push down on the jack handle the process is reversed. The check valves should be in the hydraulic lines. Either side could be stuck. I'm thinking the checks might be at the connections either at the pump, right at the cylinder.
JC
 
If it were mine, I'd tell it to "Hit the road, Jack!" Sounds like it's time to treat yourself to a new one. Just too critical a piece to mess with a fix-er-upper.

Mickey
 
I was just thinking about this and the checks should be right at the pump/cylinder attached to the handle. Otherwise the bleed valve wouldn't let oil flow back from the power side to the sump side...
JC
 
If you need a jack in a pinch, walmart is selling 2 ton floor jacks for $5.00 yeah its not the best, but it will get a car on stands, so it can't be that bad.
 
Heh, I am on stands. Just want to pull the rear end suspension at present.
 
No way I could tell ya what I did, however jack now works, hope it is good for another 30 years.
 
Good to hear, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif

Now drop that rear /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

hehehe

just kidding /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Gona, will start on it in awile, cup of tea first.
 
I have a 1-1/2 ton from Sears, it pooped out two years back, called Sears "parts" and they had a "kit" for $80... the price floored me (pun notwithstanding), but I got it anyhoo and put it together. Works fine now. Did buy one-a the Chinese 2-tonners from Wholsale Tools for $50 tho. Nice to have two.
 
I went to use my floor jack the other day after several months of dis-use, had the same issue. Not the first time it's happened, last time I was able to bleed the air out and it was fine. An hour later and the @#$ thing still won't go higher than 3/4 it's cabability. There's got to be a way and and I'm missing it.
 
I took mine apart, drained all the old oil and cleaned up everything and put it back together. Worked fine.
 
Jack,

did the rear drop okay? I hope that there were no problems.

Patrick
 
Going to post progress now.
 
cool, nice

I am heading out to strip some parts. Valve cover.
 
Back
Top