Help with Lyman 45

[Denver]

I bought an old Lyman 45 luber a few years ago that looked like junk at the time, but after a couple hours cleaning it up and removing the old lube, and putting in fresh, it worked very well. I haven't used it for some time and when I tried using it the other day I couldn't get it to work. When I turn the ratchet handle either way, the pressure washer, if that's the right term, doesn't move up or down, but turns with the threaded rod. Any ideas as to what's wrong?

Thanks in advance, D

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hard to say exactly.
Obviously you know the pressure nut is not suppose to turn.
Jimmy'd threads maybe ?
If the lube and/or lubesizer is too warm, the lube won't provide the friction to hold the pressure nut from turning, while you are turning the pressure screw. If you aren't using a heater, you could try 'chillin' the lubesizer.

[TenTea]

I would suspect some ingredient in the lube has cemented the pressure nut to its shaft due to sitting so long.
If the old brass washer is worn or the threads are nicked, that might contribute too.
Go with cold or go with heat and see what happens.
Might also try a few drops of Kroil or CLP on the shaft threads to get it moving.
Maybe even tap on the pressure washer with a wood or brass drift to *knockerloose*...

[williamwaco]

You can screw the pressure plug down so far it comes off the threads. Then it will not come back up.

Can you disassemble it and check?

[imashooter2]

Brass skirt or O ring design? Unless the pressure nut has bottomed out, you should be able to stick a screw driver down in there to provide enough friction to tighten it until it starts making pressure. Then there should be enough resistance in the tube to keep it from spinning.

[fryboy]

I tend to think that the once fresh lube has gotten stiffer,thinking that unbolting it and screwing the rod out the bottom most of the way and then tapping it up with a nonmarring object will drive the nut up thereby freeing it
JonB has in a couple of threads recommend adding a slot on the top of the pressure nut to fit a screwdriver in ,more so for when the nut wants to turn but in this case I think it'd also be useful to move it a lil left or right to free it in the future

[vzerone]

I'd suggest ordering the newer type pressure piston with the two O-rings and new threaded shaft from Lyman. Much better then that old brass ring type.