One problem leads to another

[EdT82SC]

I am in the process of replacing my motor and tranny mounts. Did the motor mounts last night. No trouble there.

Tonight after I jacked the car up, and put it on stands I supported the transmission frame with the jack so it won't fall down on the rear sway bar. I took out the old mount, and after cleaning up the bolts I got back underneath to put the new mounts in. I noticed that the jack has lowered down enough that the transmission is resting on the rear sway bar. Something wrong with the jack?

I put the mount back in, but when I try to do the big center bolt it won't thread straight in from the lowered position. When I try to jack the transmission back up it keeps falling back down.

The jack is a craftsman with a one year waranty bought a year and a half ago! I have the manual, and it suggests adding oil. After a trip to Sears I fill it up with oil. I try again, and it isn't any better.

Any suggestions on what to do with the jack?

If the answer is throw it away, what is a good jack to get?

Any suggestions on getting the transmission bolted back in?

[Alan Cottrill]

with the fill cap on the cylinder and the release valve in the "lowering" position, pump the lever up and down a few times. then tighten the valve to the "raise" position and give it a spin.

I had a craftsman jack with the same problem and that worked for me.