Rebuild Bottle Jack?

[bad_idea]

I bought a 12 ton Wilmar (Taiwanese) bottle jack at the swap meet for $5. I didn't think to op test it before buying, Doh. Wouldn't you know it, it doesn't go up. I haven't disassembled a bottle jack before, but I am familiar with hydraulic systems. I am guessing it is a bad o ring or perhaps out of fluid (from a leaking o ring). Do bottle jacks need bleeding to get air out of the system? I am hoping to throw $5-$10 in parts/fluid at this thing to get a useable bottle jack. Did I screw up?

 

[Hiball]

Tear it apart... Until you do, you won't know what is wrong or what type of seal it utilizes. Obviously, the first thing to check is the oil level, pull the reservoir plug and check it. And yes.. If the bottle jack has been rolling around in someone's trunk or been inverted, they sometimes need to be bled.

1. Oil level
2. Release valve in the release position
3. Pump the jack 6-8 times, this will flush the valve.
4. Try the jack