My dad has an old 3 ton capacity floor jack with a leaky seal and he came upon the idea of using either power steering or transmission stop leak to see if it'll fix the leak. Would it work?
Will transmission stop leak fix leaky seal in jack
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I don't know, others can answer. Another question to answer at the same time -- will it work safely, or will it increase the chance the seal lets loose and drops the load?
Edit: Of course, you should always be using jack stands, even on a good non-leaky jack, but if your jack gives way while you are trying to place the jack stands ...
Edit: Of course, you should always be using jack stands, even on a good non-leaky jack, but if your jack gives way while you are trying to place the jack stands ...
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I wouldn't put anything in mine except oil made for it. It may cause the jack to fail, hurting or killing someone.
Advance Auto has jack oil with stop leak in it. Id try it if it don't work replace the seal.
Advance Auto has jack oil with stop leak in it. Id try it if it don't work replace the seal.
It might help slow the leak down but nothing will stop it from leaking aside from a new seal.
How much does he trust a known leaky jack?
How much does he trust a known leaky jack?
A 3 ton jack costs $80 at HF. About the same cost to walk in to a walk in medical clinic after the jack fails.
And you probably don't need a 3 ton jack, a 1 1/2 ton would be fine.
And you probably don't need a 3 ton jack, a 1 1/2 ton would be fine.
Seals in a car are not under pressure.
Seals in a jack are under trmenedous pressure.
Seals in a jack are under trmenedous pressure.
It’s unlikely that it will work because stop leak in a power steering system or transmission depends upon the circulation of the fluid it is added to. In a floor jack there isn’t a means to circulate the hydraulic oil. So how will the stop leak get to where you need it ? The only way is to drain all of the fluid in the jack and replace it with a fluid that has a conditioner or stop leak mixed into it. Even then it may take a long time for the stop leak component to reach and have an effect upon the leak.
Keep in mind that a stop leak generally works by swelling the seals in the system that it is added to. All the seals, including ones that you don’t want to have swelling up. It’s the old double-edged sword – it may fix one problem, but it may create another at the same time.
Hydraulic jacks don’t always leak fluid because of a bad seal. Have you eliminated every other possibility ? I’d inspect it carefully and see what exactly is leaking. It might be a fairly simple fix.
If the jack is a nice, old piece of equipment that you want to keep in the family then get it rebuilt at a qualified rebuilder, if you can find one. More than likely, $100 would be the absolute minimum. Or rebuild it yourself, if you can find the parts for it. If the jack isn’t something special then just replace it.
Keith
Keep in mind that a stop leak generally works by swelling the seals in the system that it is added to. All the seals, including ones that you don’t want to have swelling up. It’s the old double-edged sword – it may fix one problem, but it may create another at the same time.
Hydraulic jacks don’t always leak fluid because of a bad seal. Have you eliminated every other possibility ? I’d inspect it carefully and see what exactly is leaking. It might be a fairly simple fix.
If the jack is a nice, old piece of equipment that you want to keep in the family then get it rebuilt at a qualified rebuilder, if you can find one. More than likely, $100 would be the absolute minimum. Or rebuild it yourself, if you can find the parts for it. If the jack isn’t something special then just replace it.
Keith
KB -
Uh... If the fluid gets to the leak,then the stop leak stuff will get there too.
Your term 'circulate' is inappropriate. Who cares if there is circulation?
The chances are very low that a sauce will work.
Uh... If the fluid gets to the leak,then the stop leak stuff will get there too.
Your term 'circulate' is inappropriate. Who cares if there is circulation?
The chances are very low that a sauce will work.
If that is a cheap jack you replace it, and if it is an expensive jack, you replace the seal.
It is the only way to do things.
It is the only way to do things.
That stop leak jack oil worked just fine to stop a small leak in an older floor jack that I was not ready to retire or rebuild. I say go for it. But always use jacks stands of course. I slow leaking seal does not mean it is going to fail catastrophically, just slowly leak down or leak some oil out of the jack.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
KB - Uh... If the fluid gets to the leak,then the stop leak stuff will get there too. Your term 'circulate' is inappropriate. Who cares if there is circulation?
No. If you simply add stop leak into the jack, on top of the hydraulic oil, it will not automatically search out the leak. The hydraulic oil that is already in the jack will have to all leak out in order for the stop leak to get to the leak. So, circulation is key to the function of a stop leak. If a power steering system or an automatic transmission didn't have a pump to circulate the fluid, and whatever is added to it, how would a stop leak ever get to the problem area ?
Putting that aside, I don't see a power steering or auto transmission stop leak fixing a leak in a floor jack anyway.
Keith
KB - Uh... If the fluid gets to the leak,then the stop leak stuff will get there too. Your term 'circulate' is inappropriate. Who cares if there is circulation?
No. If you simply add stop leak into the jack, on top of the hydraulic oil, it will not automatically search out the leak. The hydraulic oil that is already in the jack will have to all leak out in order for the stop leak to get to the leak. So, circulation is key to the function of a stop leak. If a power steering system or an automatic transmission didn't have a pump to circulate the fluid, and whatever is added to it, how would a stop leak ever get to the problem area ?
Putting that aside, I don't see a power steering or auto transmission stop leak fixing a leak in a floor jack anyway.
Keith
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Jack oil mixes very quickly with use. Just jack it up and release it a few times and it will be mixed. You are the pump.
A hardened, shrunken seal may soften and re-swell. A damaged or worn seal is lost.
If you have a mineral oil based jack, and most are, you can use, ATF, motor oil, gear oil, power steering fluid, hydraulic fluid, or pump oil. I routinely use a mix of DexIV and STP as jack oil. I use the Dex to make sure that entrapped air is released quickly and the the STP to purposely increase the viscosity. The thickened fluid provides for a very smooth release rate. I have not had much problem in the winter, but I do not use floor jacks often in the winter.
I have twice seen leaks start fairly quickly after use of RedLine power steering fluid as jack oil. I don't know if it was coincidence or causative.
A hardened, shrunken seal may soften and re-swell. A damaged or worn seal is lost.
If you have a mineral oil based jack, and most are, you can use, ATF, motor oil, gear oil, power steering fluid, hydraulic fluid, or pump oil. I routinely use a mix of DexIV and STP as jack oil. I use the Dex to make sure that entrapped air is released quickly and the the STP to purposely increase the viscosity. The thickened fluid provides for a very smooth release rate. I have not had much problem in the winter, but I do not use floor jacks often in the winter.
I have twice seen leaks start fairly quickly after use of RedLine power steering fluid as jack oil. I don't know if it was coincidence or causative.
I had a leak in an older floor jack (1987). Changed the original fluid with new jack oil and leak stopped.
I would try it...watch this, especially the part about the jack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTT0sejhoOQ&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTT0sejhoOQ&feature=plcp
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