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To take the last question first, there is typically no gasket there, it is a metal-to-metal seal. Make sure the ends of the cylindrical piece are clean & square. The books recommend using shellac as a sealant, I have never tried that. I have used a very small amount of Permatex #2, spread as thin as I can spread it, but a good clean edge is the main thing. Then tighten the top nut reallyy hard, and don't overfill the jack with fluid. There needs to be a certain amount of air space above the fluid. Typically, set the jack flat & fill only to the level of the fill hole. As for the swelling, did you add fluid at some point? If so, what did you use? Never use brake fluid, it will eat some seals & cause others to swell or distort. Many people use transmission fluid, but if they put alcohol or similar in that it could cause a problem too. I use real hydraulic jack oil, any auto parts store & many hardware stores sell it in small bottles, you usually need less than a pint although that long jack may take more, certainly a quart would be plenty. I have used Gunk brand, Ace hardware brand, and Advance auto brand, they are all fine. If your jack is a american-made brand, there are probably parts & diagrams available. If it is a Chinese model, consider yourself lucky, many of them are now welded shut. Good luck, e-mail me if I can help.
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