If the level of oil in the floor jack is lesser than the recommended level then you can refill it.
How to fix a hydraulic floor jack reservoir.
Be sure to check the levels of the hydraulic fluid regularly.
Hydraulic fluid would be best but oil can be used temporarily.
Anytime you are going to be working on or maintaining your hydraulic floor jack it must be clean before starting.
A substitute for hydraulic fluid is 5w 30 motor oil.
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.
Step 2 remove plug on cylinder.
Step 2 remove any excess air from the jack by opening the release valve and vigorously pumping the handle.
In this video i show you how to fix a few common problems with your hydraulic floor jack.
Refill the reservoir until it s full then place the seal cap back.
After which turn the jack s release position and pump it a few times to purge the accumulated air out.
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.
Another possible reason why the floor jack s ram won t lift is due to lack of enough oil in the reservoir.
Use the funnel to guide the fluid into the cylinder.
Depending on the make and model of the jack some can hold up to a pint of fluid.
When this occurs the air starts to accumulate in the unit preventing it to lift.
Make sure that you use the best hydraulic oil and not some cheaper alternative.
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.
Fill the chamber with hydraulic fluid.
Use shop rags to wipe down the cylinders thoroughly before you open any.