Jack oil

[Ross/Kzoo]

What is "jack oil"? I needed some and had a small container of it but was wondering if someone ran out what, if anything, could be substituted?

 

[Smurkey]

Hydraulic fluid/power steering fluid.

 

[Pinstripe]

I use the same hyd. fluid I use in the tractors.

 

[Lawrie]

any light weight engine oil or hydraulic oil will do.
Lawrie

 

[jmeckel]

any light weight engine oil or hydraulic oil will do.
Lawrie

It needs to be non-foaming do not try normal engine oil it will foam.

 

[MikeK]

Many auto parts stores have hydraulic jack oil in quarts. Ask!
Don't forget to buy a little funnel, too.

 

[Kurt in NJ]

The cheap easy substitute oil is ATF, I was looking into motorcycle shock oils and found a website that had test results and ATF had better ratings than most special oils, I hav used it in many applications with no problems

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

I use ATF if I don't have jack oil, and never had a problem.

Two years ago I was working on a guy's Model A in his garage and when I tried to jack the car up with his floor jack I got about 1/2" lift with each of the first few full stroke pumps, then nothing. Now, why even have the jack if you aren't going to keep it in working order? It only takes a few ounces of fluid to have a good working jack.

BTW, it's best to store hydraulic jack fully collapsed and with the valve closed.

 

[QGolden]

Yup, I use ATF too.