1989 fun chaser top will not go up

[Spacedout423]

1985- 1986?! fun chaser top will not go up

Basically the top won't lift up, when I used to switch it just makes a noise I undid one of the lines and hit the switch and hydraulic fluid is coming out of the line that I detached from the bottom of the cylinder. Don't know where any kind of manual knobs are. TIA JOHNNY

 

[Spacedout423]

Not sure what year, but need help asap please and thank you

Not sure what year this is, I inherited it from a friend that died from brain cancer, I just want to make it work the way it used to before his funeral. It was his everything, and the trailer inside is almost perfect, please I tried to lift it and it won't only makes noises as if it were trying to go up. I disconnected the hard hydraulic line closest to the cylinder, and hit the switch and fluid was advancing in the direction of the cylinder. Thank you Johnny

 

[JackandJanet]

Hello, Johnny. I merged the two threads you started on this problem because we find that having multiple threads on a common problem leads to incomplete information in each that will earn confusing responses that will waste your time and cause unnecessary expense. Lets keep everything here, please.

Now, most often when the top does not raise, it's because the battery is not fully charged. Since you have fluid flow with the pressure line disconnected, the pump motor is running, so the pump, motor and solenoid are all good. Reconnect that line and try fully charging the battery. Shore power will not lift the top by itself.

If you have to replace any hydraulic fluid that you lost, use ONLY Dexron II, III, or IV! Do NOT use Dexron V or any other brand!

Do you have a manual raising handle in the tongue? It is just a rod that goes into a receiver at the front of the hydraulic tank. You then just move the handle back and forth to raise it.

There is also a manual release valve at the front that can be open. If so, the top will not go up. It looks like a small rod or like a round knob. If you find it, try moving/rotating it to the opposite direction before trying the lift motor again.

- Jack

 

[Spacedout423]

Hello, Johnny. I merged the two threads you started on this problem because we find that having multiple threads on a common problem leads to incomplete information in each that will earn confusing responses that will waste your time and cause unnecessary expense. Lets keep everything here, please.

Now, most often when the top does not raise, it's because the battery is not fully charged. Since you have fluid flow with the pressure line disconnected, the pump motor is running, so the pump, motor and solenoid are all good. Reconnect that line and try fully charging the battery. Shore power will not lift the top by itself.

If you have to replace any hydraulic fluid that you lost, use ONLY Dexron II, III, or IV! Do NOT use Dexron V or any other brand!

Do you have a manual raising handle in the tongue? It is just a rod that goes into a receiver at the front of the hydraulic tank. You then just move the handle back and forth to raise it.

There is also a manual release valve at the front that can be open. If so, the top will not go up. It looks like a small rod or like a round knob. If you find it, try moving/rotating it to the opposite direction before trying the lift motor again.

- Jack

I used hydraulic oil

 

[Spacedout423]

I'm not sure how to respond directly to jack and Janet, I just want to thank them for taking the time to respond. I used Lucas hydraulic fluid I believe, your saying to use transmission fluid?

 

[JackandJanet]

Johnny, if you can drain the reservoir before you try to lift the top again, I'd do that. The owner's manuals for HiLos say to use ONLY Dexron 2, 3 or 4 ATF. It specifically warns against using any other type or brand of hydraulic fluid. I don't know what will be harmed by the hydraulic oil you put in, but possibly it will damage the seals, requiring a pump rebuild. Dexron 5 and 6 are also not recommended, because they have a different formulation than the earlier grades.

- Jack

 

[Spacedout423]

Johnny, if you can drain the reservoir before you try to lift the top again, I'd do that. The owner's manuals for HiLos say to use ONLY Dexron 2, 3 or 4 ATF. It specifically warns against using any other type or brand of hydraulic fluid. I don't know what will be harmed by the hydraulic oil you put in, but possibly it will damage the seals, requiring a pump rebuild. Dexron 5 and 6 are also not recommended, because they have a different formulation than the earlier grades.

- Jack

Hey so I can't find a manual lift anywhere, I'm going drain the reservoir and try to do those in orderi attached a pic of the fluid in question thank you

 

[Spacedout423]

Hydraulic pump

Here is a pic of the pump I can record a video I think and send it, I'm just trying my hardest, cause my friends funeral is in 3 days and I want to get this thing up for his family

 

[Spacedout423]

Hydraulic pump

Here is a pic of the pump I can record a video I think and send it, I'm just trying my hardest, cause my friends funeral is in 3 days and I want to get this thing up for his family

 

[JackandJanet]

The rod sticking up near the bottom of the first picture looks like the manual release (that lowers the top when the electrical method doesn't work) to me. You should be able to move it back and forth, up and down or side to side. One position closes it and allows the top to raise electrically, the other opens the return valve manually and lowers the top (or prevents it from raising).

I'm not seeing anything that looks like the manual lift receiver. It was optional equipment in HiLos, so yours may not have it.

I don't know what I'm looking at in the second picture. But then, I'm hardly an expert in older HiLos, my first and only HiLo is 2007 model year. Some other members may be able to help us out here (I hope).

Lucas is a good ATF, but I would not use it in the HiLo.

- Jack