Before I go to a hydraulics shop....

I have a Sealey King Hoist that worked fine but when I went to use it today it would only jack up about 8'' (without load), when I undid the valve to lower, it proceeded to squirt oil all over the garage and me !

Guessing the seal has gone then ??

Looks that way.

There is a hydraulics place in Peterborough on Fengate. When I rebuilt my bike lift I used a place Near Boston.

He too one look at the ram and walked down his shop picking half a dozen seals as he went.

That was a two stage, very easy to do and wasnt dear.

Cheers, will have a ride to Burley Hydraulics in Wisbech at lunchtime tomorrow then.

The screw that holds the small primary pump on mine came lose and did the same thing, just a case of tightening it up and refilling with jack oil and it's working fine now.