Shopsmith Forums

I'm in the process of restoring a '56 Mk V greenie. I have the motor apart for new bearings and would like to replace the motor start capacitor while I'm at it, the one that is in it looks like the original 57 year old part. The rating on the cap is 270-300 mfd @ 125vac, the closest I can find is one rated 270-324mfd. Anybody try one of these or have a source for something that works in the this motor?

triumph_tech wrote:I'm in the process of restoring a '56 Mk V greenie. I have the motor apart for new bearings and would like to replace the motor start capacitor while I'm at it, the one that is in it looks like the original 57 year old part. The rating on the cap is 270-300 mfd @ 125vac, the closest I can find is one rated 270-324mfd. Anybody try one of these or have a source for something that works in the this motor?

What you have will work.

So the 270-324 mfd should work?

triumph_tech wrote:So the 270-324 mfd should work?

Yes it will.

BTW, welcome to the forum. It is good to have you.

Thanks, been a lurker for a while but now that I am actually restoring a Shopsmith I have questions, and this forum seems to have all the answers I need plus a lot of great people.

triumph_tech wrote:Thanks, been a lurker for a while but now that I am actually restoring a Shopsmith I have questions, and this forum seems to have all the answers I need plus a lot of great people.

I hope that from time to time we find it necessary to help by doing some research before answering the questions thrown at us.:)

beeg wrote:It sounds like your replacing the capacitor, just because?

Yes, just because, although it is still working it is the 57 year old original one and things like age and heat take their toll on the internals of capacitors like this. It just seems to be good practice to replace it while I'm doing the rebuild.

triumph_tech wrote:Yes, just because, although it is still working it is the 57 year old original one and things like age and heat take their toll on the internals of capacitors like this. It just seems to be good practice to replace it while I'm doing the rebuild.

Another way to look at that is, it has survived the past half century+ so it will likely last many more years. Also if it ain't broke, do not fix it!

Getting a replacement 'just in case' may be prudent, but not terribly necessary!

Welcome to de forum!;)

Be sure to file or sand the points used in the start circuit. I only found 1 bad capacitor in over 200 motors. It looked like a metal retaining ring used to hold the end plate has totally rusted out from dampness that had gotten inside the capacitor. It may have been under water at some time.