I want to thank all 11 responses I got to the question of repairing my floor
jack. The solutions offered varied from various rebuild methods to buying a
new floor jack... but the simplest and cheapest (took 2 minutes and cost
nothing) and most unique solution was what I tried first... and it worked!!!
For those interested read below:

> Bill,
>
> This may be a case of Crap on the Check Valve Seat Syndrome.  The cure
> as devised by Dr. SnapOn takes two people to effect.  With the jack
> unloaded, one person pumps it to the extent of its travel.  He then
> opens the lift valve fully while the other person pushes down on the
> lifting pad with his foot as quickly as he can.  This ritual is
> repeated several times.  If a second adult is not readily available to
> assist, a kid with a decent sense of balance can easily be talked into
> going for a ride on the floorjack.
>
> R
>
>