Little Forks Forge Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 One of the guys in our shop was using this press to bend some metal, without being trained on it.. :mad: (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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlarkin Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Sounds like it ingested some air in the hydraulics. Bleed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Patrick Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eburgblue Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Rowe Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Rich, you are too accommodating ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Forks Forge Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 If a pint of oil came out a pint of air went in! Nature abhorrs a vacuum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflySmithy Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Just fill it back up with the right type of oil.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Forks Forge Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 Bleeding is not working at all. I am able to get the ram to move - but it is not locking at all with the valve closed. In other words - I can push the ram back up and it stays up (no air pressure pushing it back down again)... I am forced to take it to a shop for repairs I guess... Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rigger Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 One of the guys in our shop was using this press to bend some metal, without being trained on it.. :mad: (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. I'd say you've got a bad cylinder. When the seal on the piston fails (as they must eventually) the oil gets pushed into the "dry" side of the cylinder (when the piston moves in that direction), and out the power valve (not the flow control). Depending on how you have the system plumbed, you may also see bubbles coming up inside the oil reservoir caused by air being pushed into the "wet" side of the cylinder; this is then "proof-positive" showing the cylinder seal is blown. The question I ask myself in a case like this is "Where did the oil come from and how could it get from there to the puddle on my floor?" The answer is almost always (except for leaky hoses, etc.) a blown cylinder piston seal. Many cylinders are re-buildable, some being much easier than others because of ease of assembly. This would be the least expensive "fix" of this problem. By the way, since this is my first post, I'd like to say "Hi everyone." What a great site this is. I'm just starting out with a small anvil and small gas forge (and plans for a larger one). I'm looking forward to learning and hopefully, eventually, contributing some day. Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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