BendPak Lift - Hydraulic Oil Foaming


Xcentric

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
I've had my BendPak HD-9 for two years. Every time I lower it to the floor from more than about halfway up, hydraulic oil foams out the reservoir tank cap.

At first I thought it was over-filled, but now the oil is below the minimum level and it still foams out. Probably an ounce or two each time.

Anyone else experience this? Problem or just something I have to live with?
 
What does BendPak say?
 
Can you see anyplace where hyd oil is leaking/puddling/weeping/whatever? If 'oil can escape (bad seal? pinhole in hose?), air can get back in...hence the foam?

If not, you might try changing the hyd fluid. 'Fluid can get contaminated due to this-and-that (water condensation, et al), and sometimes that results in foaming.
 
Last edited:
FENZO, BendPak hasn't said, yet, but they are not overdue.

EP, Good ideas. Yes, there's a tiny tiny leak at one of the pistons. I'm talking a drop over months. The hyd oil was put in by the installer. Maybe it was contaminated from the get go.

Is hydraulic oil not supposed to foam?
 
Xcentric said:
Is hydraulic oil not supposed to foam?
Click to expand...

Not as far as I know...
 
 
Condensation ?
 
I don't have that problem with my BendPak lift, but I have noticed that there is a slight seep past the reservoir cap - not enough to be a drip, just a mist on the side of the reservoir below the cap. Have you actually looked into the reservoir to see what the fluid looks like when it is leaking? Is it milky (a sign of water contamination)? Try capturing some in a pan and letting it "defoam" to see what it looks like ... If there's water in it, it seems that it must have been there since it was installed (I assume it doesn't rain in your garage).
 
Sounds like water somewhere.
 
I would eliminate any culprit by replacing the oil with clean 10WT Hydro oil or Dexron III automatic tranny oil.
 
Perhaps someone pissed in your reservoir? Made Amy mad lately?
 
Mine does not foam. My bet is on water in the oil for some reason. Go to Grainger and get 5 gallons of hydraulic oil and change it. You will probably see some brown watery stuff in what you drain out. My garage is AC'd so maybe that keeps the moisture out.
 
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