Hydraulic floor jack .. .. soo tired ...

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Ok my Hydraulic floor jack .. .. seams to be soo tired ...
Do you replace all of the fluid or just top it off ?
Is there a best fluid to use ?
Any hints ?
My jack will start to raise ( say the corner of a shed) but will go so far ... like me not enough strength to dooo it.

 

[GadDummit]

Just top it off, no need to bleed it out. Be careful taking it apart though. Sometimes they make very breakable things to hold it together!

 

[salecker]

You can use ATF or power steering fluid.You can buy small bottles of jack oil but if you have the others...

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

Does hydraulic oil go bad if it's been stored indoors?

 

[jetsam]

Any oil is going to pick up water if it is not in an airtight container and experiences temperature variations. (Temp increases, air is forced out of the container.... temp decreases, air and water vapor is sucked in.)

 

[salecker]

Does hydraulic oil go bad if it's been stored indoors?

No oil dosn't go bad.It can get contaminated with water or dirt but the oil it self will still be good if it gets filtered.Oil manufactures have a sell by date on their oils,but what doesn't have a sell by date these days.

 

[jetsam]

No oil dosn't go bad.It can get contaminated with water or dirt but the oil it self will still be good if it gets filtered.Oil manufactures have a sell by date on their oils,but what doesn't have a sell by date these days.

Is there a practical way to filter water out of, say hydraulic fluid? Man, that would be handy.

I wonder if you used a resevoir with a conical bottom and a tap at the point- Start with a contaminated system. Drain the water out of the tap, run the system, let it settle for a few hours, repeat. I wonder if you'd eventually get all of the water out.

 

[salecker]

Is there a practical way to filter water out of, say hydraulic fluid? Man, that would be handy.

I wonder if you used a resevoir with a conical bottom and a tap at the point- Start with a contaminated system. Drain the water out of the tap, run the system, let it settle for a few hours, repeat. I wonder if you'd eventually get all of the water out.

If you leave oil water mix eventually the water settles at the bottom.
I have an old 950 loader,i loaned it to a "friend" and it came back with contaminated hydraulic fluid.
I decided to let it sit for the winter and settle.I will drain what water settles out in the tank.Then i will drain as much oil out where i can.I am going to flush the system with diesel a couple of times then refill and change the filter and cross my fingers.