Canyon · Sep 1, 2011

THE most useless jack in history.

Went to change over a tyre today ( slow puncture) thought I could do it in 20mins. Went to use the bottle jack did see some light oil all over it, but thought nothin of it.
Anyway postioned the jack correctly and started to pump the arm, it started to rise until it got to a certain point and then you could hear a small jack fart.
Still kept pumping away and not getting anywhere fast.
Pulled the jack out from under the car and tightened the release valve again. Repeated again as above, still getting a small parp, and not lifting the wheel clear.
So I now think not enought oil is in the jack and it has some how leaked out.

So question is, which oil to refill with ( will any oil do?) also how to refill it?

nisbeam · Sep 1, 2011

Repeated again as above, still getting a small parp, and not lifting the wheel clear.

are you sure it was the jack ?

Irishrover · Sep 1, 2011

:behindsofa:

100 times better than the crappy side or scissor lift jacks that you get with other cars, they are downright dangerous if you have to change a wheel by the side of the road.

Datatek · Sep 1, 2011

Canyon said:
THE most useless jack in history.

Went to change over a tyre today ( slow puncture) thought I could do it in 20mins. Went to use the bottle jack did see some light oil all over it, but thought nothin of it.
Anyway postioned the jack correctly and started to pump the arm, it started to rise until it got to a certain point and then you could hear a small jack fart.
Still kept pumping away and not getting anywhere fast.
Pulled the jack out from under the car and tightened the release valve again. Repeated again as above, still getting a small parp, and not lifting the wheel clear.
So I now think not enought oil is in the jack and it has some how leaked out.

So question is, which oil to refill with ( will any oil do?) also how to refill it?

Comma Jack oil or hydraulic oil. Should be a small filler plug on it somewhere

zzr1200 · Sep 1, 2011

Machine Mart sell in 1 Litre bottles 6 quid

hth

zzr

zzr1200 · Sep 1, 2011

Irishrover said:
:behindsofa:

100 times better than the crappy side or scissor lift jacks that you get with other cars, they are downright dangerous if you have to change a wheel by the side of the road.

The man is totally correct as usual....

Irishrover · Sep 1, 2011

zzr1200 said:
The man is totally correct as usual....

:behindsofa:

'Er Indoors don't think so:violin::smokin::argue::your_wrong::hysterically_laughi

Datatek · Sep 1, 2011

Irishrover said:
:behindsofa:

'Er Indoors don't think so:violin::smokin::argue::your_wrong::hysterically_laughi

Keep the P38, get rid of 'er indoors:clap2::drama:

wammers · Sep 1, 2011

zzr1200 said:
Machine Mart sell in 1 Litre bottles 6 quid

hth

zzr

I'll bet they bloody do robbing bastards. Use some transmission fluid.

Canyon · Sep 1, 2011

Yep I have some transmission fluid left over, so I will use that. How do I purge any air out?
I am assuming the rubber plug is the filler? And I fill it up on it's side?

jamesmartin · Sep 1, 2011

stand it upright fill through hole with oil can job done unless its knackered

Irishrover · Sep 1, 2011

Canyon said:
Yep I have some transmission fluid left over, so I will use that. How do I purge any air out?
I am assuming the rubber plug is the filler? And I fill it up on it's side?

It's the filler/level plug. The jack should be self bleeding.
If you know an engineering workshop locally, see if you can scrounge half a pint of light Hydraulic oil such as Mobil DTE light.

wammers · Sep 1, 2011

Canyon said:
Yep I have some transmission fluid left over, so I will use that. How do I purge any air out?
I am assuming the rubber plug is the filler? And I fill it up on it's side?

It will purge itself just put a little at a time in and pump up, keep filling untill it fully extends. If you put a little to much in it will eject it from filler when jack is retracted.

Canyon · Sep 2, 2011

Thanks for the advice, still scratching my head over how to actually get the oil in to the jack , do they make funnels this small?

996TURBO · Sep 2, 2011

I have a big problem with mine. If i fill it until it works, it levels itself later. Looks like there may be some o-rings dead

wammers · Sep 2, 2011

996TURBO said:
I have a big problem with mine. If i fill it until it works, it levels itself later. Looks like there may be some o-rings dead

Jacks don't usually use O Rings. They have positive pressure seals on the end of the rams.

Irishrover · Sep 2, 2011

Not the easiest thing to get spares for or repair.
When I bought my Disco, admittedly a good few years ago, the jack (Same as the RR & P38) was missing. Bought one from Equicar, Wolverhampton (By far not the cheapest breakers) for £20 including the handles. It looked as though it had never been used and was in pristine condition.
For reasons of safety, if it doesn't work after filling it or shows signs of leakage past any seals.....bin it !!
Are you sure the pressure release screw is working properly ?

goonarmy · Sep 2, 2011

buy a 4 ton bottle jack for cheap off ebay or halfords
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t..._Equipment&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

Irishrover · Sep 2, 2011

Good suggestion, but....they tend to be taller than the supplied jack and don't have the "V" on the top which sits nicely under the axle tubes.

Canyon · Sep 2, 2011

So I filled it up with transmission fluid via the fill/level plug, pumped the handle, nothing.
The jack looks like new, can't think why it has failed. I maybe think that the oil might be too thin. I will drain and refill with thicker oil.

The pressure release valve looks ok to me , I did remove it to check the seal and seems fine.

What else can check or test?

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