I'm working on a hydraulic table lift that I acquired recently, and am trying to seal up some fluid leaks.
Question is, Can I use Teflon tape to seal up the leaks at the threaded joints or do I need something different?

Pressures won't exceed 100 psi.

Thanks for the help!

 

Hmm, you could probably use High heat, High Pressure liquid teflon. We use it on air lines on heavy trucks to make sure they are sealed up, and they run around 120PSI...so maybe that could work?

 

It is not recommended to use teflon tape on hydraulic fittings because small bits tend to come loose and clog or cause leaks to occur in control valves. Ask me how I know. It isn't fun to disassemble the entire system and clean it out.

 

second what htgreen said loctite makes some stuff pst 562 i think and some others make it. Its is like a paste advance and other local auto parts stores should have it or a product like it. I would shy away from the tape though although it has been used lots of places before just not prefered choice.

 

Can you use it. yes, quite effectively, we use it all the time.
Should you use it. no as htgreen said, it can cause leaks.
Use locktite thread sealant. its messier, but better.

 

locktite should work, we used it all the time on our competition paintball guns. it wasn't hydraulics, but if you didnt want your gun to leak and mess up, you used locktite

 

Use the right stuff for the threads on hydraulics. If you are trying to seal tapered threads for fittings use as has already been noted. If you are trying to seal the threads on flex lines, forget it. Flex lines are not designed to seal on the threads but instead seal on the taper of the fitting.

 

If you are using pipe thread then you should use pipe dope, stay away from teflon tape as all the others have suggested. If the fitting leaking are JIC, or o-ring fittings, then under no circumstances what so ever should you use any type of sealant, a JIC fitting will need to be replaced, and an o-ring fitting can either be replace or re o-ringed if there is no pitting any where on the fitting.

Tim