Trouble with engine hoist cylinder

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krazykuda

krazykuda

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I have my own engine hoist, as some of us do. It got to where when you pump the handle on the cylinder, it hardly moves up.

I checked the fluid level in the cylinder, and it started spilling out when I removed the plug. So I figure that my cylinder is worn out and buy another new cylinder about 2 months ago.

We pulled the engine/trans out of my son's Challenger and put the engine on a stand.

We drag the hoist up to the front garage to move an engine and trans together the other day, and the cylinder won't lift the engine only a little higher than a foot off the ground, then won't lift anymore. It's like the old cylinder again.

Can this be due to cold weather affecting the pressure inside the cylinder?

Why can't the new cylinder lift an engine already?

Any ideas?
 
Lay it on its side with the rubber plug facing up with the jack in its down position. Take the plug out and fill it with fluid while rocking it back and forth until it won't take any more and the air is out. Some jacks are shipped intentionally low on fluid to prevent excessive pressure and blow outs. You may have to use a little makeshift funnel.
 
73AbodEE said:
Lay it on its side with the rubber plug facing up with the jack in its down position. Take the plug out and fill it with fluid while rocking it back and forth until it won't take any more and the air is out. Some jacks are shipped intentionally low on fluid to prevent excessive pressure and blow outs. You may have to use a little makeshift funnel.
Click to expand...


Yup, that's what I do. I use one of those caps that fit on the jug that looks like a little funnel.
 
One of my jacks was doing this. Took several attempts to get it air free. Filled it with fluid, shook/tilted it several times. Seemed like it was air free. Would work normally the next time I used it...then back to barely able to lift. Does not take but a small amount of air for a hydraulic cylinder to not work correctly...
 
Ok guys, we'll give it a try.


I gotta hunt down my small funnels.


Then I can:

1. Remove the cylinder (off the jack - jack it off)

2. Fill it with fluid... (Do I need to say more)

3. Then put it back on and pump it up... (see if it gets stiffer)

4. And see if it works... (Or it has "erection disorder")



And I take back what I said about you in the other post, Lance... LOL!

Thanks Bruce.



I prefer not to think before speaking... - I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth.... LOL!
 
krazykuda said:
Ok guys, we'll give it a try.


I gotta hunt down my small funnels.


Then I can:

1. Remove the cylinder (off the jack - jack it off)

2. Fill it with fluid... (Do I need to say more)

3. Then put it back on and pump it up... (see if it gets stiffer)

4. And see if it works... (Or it has "erection disorder")



And I take back what I said about you in the other post, Lance... LOL!

Thanks Bruce.



I prefer not to think before speaking... - I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth.... LOL!
Click to expand...
Step 5 : Floor jack Viagra ?......
 
My old Walker floor jack is slow in the cold. It acts like low oil although its not. For some reason it seems to need more pump oil recovery time. So I have to slow down and sometimes even stop and wait for it to replenish the pump. Maybe a hanging check ball.

When all else fails maybe..................

http://www.blackhawkparts.com/
 
krazykuda said:
Is it possible to overfill the cylinder with fluid?
Click to expand...

If you filled it on its side with piston extended I think it is possible.
Piston end should take more oil than the rod end.
Is it stiff when you pump it and locking up the pump handle or can you feel the pump bleeding down?
 
krazykuda said:
Is it possible to overfill the cylinder with fluid?
Click to expand...

Yes, if you have the ram extended when filling. Don't ask me how I know. :banghead:


With that said, if you overfill it, it won't return to it's normal rest position. Again, don't ask me how I know. #-o

Being cold will certainly affect it, but it should still work to a degree (no pun intended).
 
Ok guys, I have the update.


Tried the pumping with the valve open thing and nothing.... :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:


Then popped the plug out and the damn thing was low on fluid. I had a quart of hydraulic fluid with a flip spout on it, and it almost took the whole quart.


It now will lift up. I haven't tried it too high yet, as we are working on trying to free up a stuck crank on a short block/trans assy so we can disconnect the trans. The engine and trans was sitting outside for a couple of years and is locked up. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:


But the hoist now will lift the engine a bit. So that's a good sign. I just didn't figure that a new cylinder wouldn't have the correct fluid level.... Doh... #-o #-o #-o
 
Oh yeah. The directions on the cylinder state to have the cylinder in the lowest position, then fill to the bottom of the drain plug hole.


When all else fails - read the directions...

(It's a man thing not to read directions until you are totally lost....)
 
When all else fails - read the directions...

(It's a man thing not to read directions until you are totally lost....)
Click to expand...


Directions? We don't need no stinkin directions. Fumble, cuss moan and groan, now where did I put those directions (digging through trash now) lmao.
 
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