Help with checking oil level in floor jack

[dawei]

Hello pros of the garage journal. I'm new and need your help.
Many floor jack says fill oil to about right below the fill hole. But here is what

I'm confused about: Check level under what condition?
1. Valve open and handle pushed down
2. Valve open and handle straight up
3. Valve closed and handle pushed down
4. Valve closed and handle straight up

This morning what I found was with valve open, if handle is straight up, I don't see any jack oil at all. But with handle pushed down, I see oil going into the main cylinder and when pushed all the way down it's above the inner cylinder and below the fill hole.

If I google, or youtube, I find videos with many different ways and all say they've been doing it like that for years. I'm concerned about over filling jack oil and end up with a blown seal.

What's official say and below is a picture of my floor jack. Besides the 2 screw marked not to adjust, I assume the large screw on top is the fill hole and what is the smaller screw hole for?

 

[Hiball]

Don't overthink it, with the Jack saddle in the rest position, unscrew the plug on the reservoir, peer thru the hole and the oil level should just rest above the cylinder. Secondly.. Oil doesn't evaporate so no need to check the oil level unless you have a leak.

 

[dawei]

Don't overthink it, with the Jack saddle in the rest position, unscrew the plug on the reservoir, peer thru the hole and the oil level should just rest above the cylinder. Secondly.. Oil doesn't evaporate so no need to check the oil level unless you have a leak.

Can you define rest position? Handle pushed down horizontal or straight up vertical? Depend on handle position, oil level changes from over the cylinder to completely not visible.

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[Hiball]

Can you define rest position? Handle pushed down horizontal or straight up vertical? Depend on handle position, oil level changes from over the cylinder to completely not visible.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

The Handle doesn't really factor into the equation, The pump piston volume really isn't going to affect you one way or the other. The single most important factor when checking the oil level is to have the lift arm at "rest" or in the down position, Following that procedure will prevent you from overfilling your Jack.

 

[Fcvapor05]

The Handle doesn't really factor into the equation, The pump piston volume really isn't going to affect you one way or the other. The single most important factor when checking the oil level is to have the lift arm at "rest" or in the down position, Following that procedure will prevent you from overfilling your Jack.

This.

If you fill it with the handle down, it's impossible to over fill it.

 

[dawei]

Thanks every one. I'll fill with handle down then. Never overfill and always filled full.

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[Hiball]

Thanks every one. I'll fill with handle down then. Never overfill and always filled full.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Just so we are clear, the handle position doesn't really matter, the "Lift Arm" needs to be in the down position, and only fill to where the oil rests just above the cylinder when looking in the hole or to manufacturer specs. Do not top it off.. There needs to be head room on sealed units to allow for oil leaving and returning to the reservoir during operation.

Just to clarify further, if the Jack has been inverted or drained etc, you should always follow bleeding procedures to purge air from the valve systems prior to getting a oil level check.

 

[dawei]

thanks again. Learnt quite a bit useful info here.