All Juiced Rite Cold Press Juice Machines run off of food grade oil for the hydraulic system to function. Our juicers are designed with a simple system that is easily maintained by the owner or operator.

We recommend changing your oil filter at least every six months for best results, but your schedule may depend on your machine usage. 

Front and Back of the Machine 

To orient ourselves with the machine, we will refer to the chute side of the machine as the front and the electrical box as the back.

Getting Ready 

SAFETY FIRST! As with any cleaning or servicing of your machine- ALWAYS turn off the power and unplug your machine before working. You can turn the main power off at the red switch on the back of the machine located on the electrical box.

For this job, you’ll need the following items:

• A new oil filter
• An oil filter wrench (optional, only for tough filter removal)
• Citrus de-greaser
• Rag for cleaning and wiping extra oil
• Oil pan
• Masking tape (optional, see #Pro Tip below)

Clean Your Filter and Machine 

We recommend spraying down the outside of the filter with some degreaser to clean it and the area around it a bit before you remove it. Be sure to clean up any oil residue and food particles well. This will give your hands a better grip when removing the filter and prevent any contaminants from entering the oil system. We recommend using a food-grade citrus degreaser.

If it’s tight (and been on there for a long time), you may also need an oil filter wrench. Regular changes every six months should lend to easy removal by hand with no wrench needed.

Remove the Oil Filter 

In the space below the platens (in the belly of your machine, if you will), you will see a canister to the right that looks like a regular car oil filter. That’s your cold press machine oil filter!

Place an oil pan under the machine directly below the filter location. Also, have a rag nearby to catch any drips and keep your area clean. As mentioned above you can use your hands (or a wrench if absolutely needed) and just spin the filter some to loosen (Lefty Loosey!). Expect some oil to fall out initially, this is normal. Once the dripping has stopped, remove the filter fully and set it in your oil pan.

#PRO TIP: Sometimes that oil dripping can get a little messy (sometimes a lot messy!). To direct the oil more, try this trick before loosening your filter. Hang a long strip of tape from the fitting that’s just at the bottom of the oil filter connection to the tank. Let the tape hang down to your pan. When you remove the filter, the oil will follow the tape and drip straight into the pan! This keeps your system cleaner, hoses and tank cleaner too! AND it’s a less messy clean-up for you, that’s a win/win/win!

Before You Install the New Oil Filter 

Unwrap the plastic from your filter, looking inside it to check that there’s no packaging or debris in the filter itself. Always a good idea to double-check — it’s happened that some have just unwrapped and installed not realizing there’s a menacing little hunk of cardboard that eventually clogs up their system. Just tap the open end with the rubber seal on your hand, look inside and give it a little blow (some debris are small). Make sure it’s nice and clean and, most importantly, empty.

Take a good look at the oil in your pan that ran out with the old filter. If it looks clean and relatively clear, you’re good to go. If it’s sludgy and dark and all other nefarious descriptive words, you are in need of a full oil change (we recommend about yearly, follow these instructions here for an R4 machine). It’s always best practice to check your oil with every filter change.

Install the New Oil Filter 

If your oil in the pan is lovely (meaning clean and clear), use a little of it to pre-lubricate the rubber seal of the filter and the threads. You can even just dip the filter into the pan to get a decent amount on there then just let it drip off (give it a little wiggle to speed that up).

Check the threading on the machine itself where you will be reinstalling and make sure it has no crud, produce, nicks or anything on the surface where the rubber gasket will make contact.

Align the filter threading with the machine as best you can. The filter should go on very easily. If you feel any resistance at all, stop, back up and start again. Too much force may cause cross threading which could lead to leaks.

Once the filter is in place, hand-tighten it until it is as snug as you can get it. No tools required! (Avoid the temptation to use a wrench to install the filter, even if you used one to uninstall) 

After the Install 

The first few times you have used the machine after your oil filter change, the hydraulic system can rush the filter and jolt it a bit. This happens when the cylinders are releasing pressure and rushing fluid into the filter. Just reach down periodically and hand tighten it again until the pressure has evened out.

Over time, the rubber seal will also compress and loosen, which can cause minor leaks if not tightened regularly. Just check the filter monthly to be sure it’s not loose.

To check for any drips, just swipe your clean, dry finger under the filter by the connection and the rubber seal. If it’s dry, it’s tight enough. If your finger has a little oil, give the filter a little hand tightening (again, no tools).

Happy Oiled Machine!