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Usually, engine hoist are pretty reliable. However, they aren’t entirely foolproof. Many times, an engine hoist will not lift.
We will share the causes of the same today and help you understand what you should do in that case.
Engine hoist will not lift..
An engine hoist will not lift occasionally due to a number of issues, namely:
- The pressurised expansion and subsequent eruption of a seal
- Low hydraulic pressure fluid, or lack of hydraulic fluid.
While these two problems might be interrelated, they are the primary causes of the engine hoist not lifting.
Before we help you understand how to solve this problem, it is time to look into how the engine hoist works.
How does a hydraulic engine hoist work?
The hydraulic engine hoist works very similar to a normal crane. Once you attach the engine to it, the hydraulic cylinders work because of the pressurized hydraulic fluid needed to lift the piston, which in turn lifts the engine attached to the arm.
When you’re lowering the engine, the engine hoist will open the bleed valve resulting in the low pressure of the hydraulic fluid. Therefore, the engine will gradually move in the opposite direction because of gravity and will be lowered.
In basic terms, this is how an engine hoist works.
How do you fix an engine hoist?
Now that you know the most common problems an engine hoist can suffer, we will help you understand how to fix those issues.
- Reseal it:
The seal of the hydraulic cylinders determines the pressure of the hydraulic fluid. If you blow up the seal, the hydraulic fluid will start leaking. In that case, the pressure will not be maintained in the cylinders, so you won’t be able to lift the attached engine appropriately.
The simplest way is to reseal it. You might have to buy the sealing apparatus once again and install it. In most cases, repairing a blown-up seal is not possible. That is why replacing is the only solution.
- Low pressure:
There is a bleed valve in every engine hoist. Its job is to release the pressure on the hydraulic fluid. However, if the bleed valve is faulty, it will release the pressure at the wrong time, and the hoist will not lift at all.
The easiest solution to fix this problem is to change the bleed valves.
- Refill hydraulic fluid:
Usually, low or no hydraulic fluid is the reason why the engine hoist will not lift. This is an easy problem to fix. You can buy the hydraulic fluid from the hardware store and refill it.
In one of the sections below, we will share with you a step-by-step procedure to refill the hydraulic fluid.
How do you bleed an engine hoist jack?
Step 1: Remove the jack:
To start with, remove the jack from the assembly.
Step 2: Open the bleed valve:
After that, open the bleed valve by using the pump handle or vise grip.
Step 3: Remove the oil fill plug:
Before going to the next step, it is important to remove the oil fill plug.
Step 4: Pump the handle:
Attach the pumping handle to the socket and pump 20 strokes. When you do so, the oil will be filled throughout the system, and the bleed valve will ensure that it goes back into the reservoir. This will ensure that if there is any air trapped in the system, it will rise to the top. Consequently, it will be released from the reservoir because you have removed the oil plug.
Step 5: Add hydraulic oil if necessary:
Before you put the oil plug back, check the hydraulic oil fluid levels. If the fluid levels are less, add the fluid of the same specification.
Step six: put the oil plug back:
After that, you must put the oil plug back and close the release valve.
That’s it!
These six steps will allow you to bleed the engine hoist jack. After that, you can again attach it to the assembly but test it once before directly using it to lift the engine.
How do you fill an engine hoist with hydraulic fluid?
Most engine hoists have a hole with a gap which provides you with direct access to the oil reservoir. Lift the cap, place the engine bottle spout into the hole, and refill it. Before you do so, place a rag or newspaper below the hoist to curb any oil leaks.
Instead of wondering why the engine hoist will not lift, it is good to follow our guide above and try the solutions we have listed above. We also provide a lot of associated information to help you solve other problems related to the engine hoist. Once you do so, the engine hoist will likely start working again, and you can work on the engine easily.
