Help - Not pressing anymore!!!

[Little Forks Forge]

One of the guys in our shop was using this press to bend some metal, without being trained on it.. (but, I digress). When he was releasing the valve to home the press cylinder he loosened the valve too far and oil started spilling out - since then the press does not press at all.

I need some direction in repairing this. My thinking is that the valve screws down onto some kind of one-way valve and that loosening the valve too much unseats the one-way valve - but I'm unsure as to how to repair it, or even if I can do it in house.

Any help would be appreciated.

[rlarkin]

Sounds like it ingested some air in the hydraulics.
Bleed it.

[Dodge]

What type of valve is it? Switching valve, ball valve?? Got a pic of the valve? I agree with rlarkin. There is probably air in the system from when the valve was leaking. Also make sure the fluid reservoir is at the correct level. How much leaked out?

[Phil Patrick]

I agree, sounds like the system has air in it now. With out being in front of it, I can't tell you how to bleed it. You might have to top everything off, and manually bring the ram to the up position to clear the air. Another thing to do is WITH THE PUMP OFF!!!!!!!!!, fill it up, and crack the lines loose and spin the motor over by hand to purge the air.

[eburgblue]

Could be air. Does the pump sound any different than before? Often with air the pump will cavitate and sound different. How much oil lost? Did he unscrew the vavle completely and possibly lose a spring or ball or needle?

[Rich Hale]

Another option would be for youi to pay the shipping and send it to me I will put it back in working order and train it for a couple of years. Then you pay the shipping and I will ship it back..Oh and by the way please include the manuals that will tell me what kind of fluid to fill it back up with and how to bleed the air......Glad to help...

[Fred Rowe]

It sounds like hydraulic lock. All the fluid leaked from the push side of the cylinder. Low fluid level in reservoir due to loss during bleed off.

Fred

[Dodge]

Rich, you are too accommodating

[Little Forks Forge]

Thanks Rich - that is an extremely generous offer!

Alright... In response to other answers here:

It isn't motorized - it's hand pumped.

The valve is on the bottom of the reservoir and is just a screw valve with a large handle on it. If you look at the picture - the unpainted cylinder on the right side of the press is where it's located at the bottom.

There might be air in it - but at the same time, since the valve is at the bottom of the reservoir and the res was full, I'm more doubtful that air could have made it's way down there that quickly. Not that much oil was lost - less than a pint...

I'm gearing up to take it apart and see if I can locate the ball/one-way valve that's come out... Unless one of you could direct me otherwise.

[ThomasPowers]

If a pint of oil came out a pint of air went in! Nature abhorrs a vacuum...