Motor issues

johnheyd · Post by **johnheyd** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:11 pm

OK, I've had my Shopsmith Mark 510 for about a year and a half. It was reconditioned by Jacob Anderson back in 2010 and all was good at that time. Now I am starting to have problems with I think the motor. Once in awhile I'll go to start it, flip the toggle and nothing happens. Sometimes I see a little jurk in the shaft like it wants to start but doesn't. So If I then turn the shaft a few times - using the disk for example, it usually will then start. So I know it's not the switch. Seems to be it might be bushes or maybe as I've read the startup capacitor? Any ideas out there? This has only happened to me twice now in about 9 months. I hate to throw good money at a bad situation and may just replace with a newer PowerPro but wanted your ideas first. Incidentally the Mark 510 is a 1990 model.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:15 pm

How often do ya lube the sheaves??

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:17 pm

johnheyd wrote:OK, I've had my Shopsmith Mark 510 for about a year and a half. It was reconditioned by Jacob Anderson back in 2010 and all was good at that time. Now I am starting to have problems with I think the motor. Once in awhile I'll go to start it, flip the toggle and nothing happens. Sometimes I see a little jurk in the shaft like it wants to start but doesn't. So If I then turn the shaft a few times - using the disk for example, it usually will then start. So I know it's not the switch. Seems to be it might be bushes or maybe as I've read the startup capacitor? Any ideas out there? This has only happened to me twice now in about 9 months. I hate to throw good money at a bad situation and may just replace with a newer PowerPro but wanted your ideas first. Incidentally the Mark 510 is a 1990 model.

I gotta go with either the switch or a loose wire.

I say that since after the 'jurk' nothing happens. That indicates something is making contact then not so. If it were internal(start switch) an entirely different chain of events would occur(much loud humming and circuit breaker tripping).

Remove the 'service port cover' and take a gander looking for a loose connection.

P.S. It ain't got no 'bushes! No brushes either. I do not think there is a damaged motor at this point. Wiggle wires to see if any come 'loose' as in move, not necessarily come off'.

johnheyd · Post by **johnheyd** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:39 pm

beeg wrote:How often do ya lube the sheaves??

I lube them per the manual - about every 20 hours of operation.

johnheyd · Post by **johnheyd** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:12 pm

JPG40504 wrote:I gotta go with either the switch or a loose wire.

I say that since after the 'jurk' nothing happens. That indicates something is making contact then not so. If it were internal(start switch) an entirely different chain of events would occur(much loud humming and circuit breaker tripping).

Remove the 'service port cover' and take a gander looking for a loose connection.

P.S. It ain't got no 'bushes! No brushes either. I do not think there is a damaged motor at this point. Wiggle wires to see if any come 'loose' as in move, not necessarily come off'.

Ya you are right - no bushes - sorry fat fingers. Anyway, checked and found no loose wires that I could find. I blew out the motor this time with air - don't know if that could have caused issue but it's running fine right now and can't repeat the problem so I guess until it happens again - I'll just keep using it. Still think this coming summer may find a new powerpro in the shop.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:22 pm

johnheyd wrote:Ya you are right - no bushes - sorry fat fingers. Anyway, checked and found no loose wires that I could find. I blew out the motor this time with air - don't know if that could have caused issue but it's running fine right now and can't repeat the problem so I guess until it happens again - I'll just keep using it. Still think this coming summer may find a new powerpro in the shop.

There is a possibility that a connection is loose in the motor itself. Only way to check that is to take it out and get inside it.

When I mentioned blow out the motor I meant directing compressed air into the air intake holes in the end of the motor opposite the output shaft. That is almost impossible to do without taking the motor out of the motor pan.

Ya gonna get a complete PP or an upgrade kit?

Last I knew SS recommends oiling every 10 hours and that includes the floating sheave on the motor shaft..

johnheyd · Post by **johnheyd** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:52 am

JPG40504 wrote:There is a possibility that a connection is loose in the motor itself. Only way to check that is to take it out and get inside it.

When I mentioned blow out the motor I meant directing compressed air into the air intake holes in the end of the motor opposite the output shaft. That is almost impossible to do without taking the motor out of the motor pan.

Ya gonna get a complete PP or an upgrade kit?

Last I knew SS recommends oiling every 10 hours and that includes the floating sheave on the motor shaft..

I have a directional nozzle so was able to get inside the case with the nozzle and actually blow out the motor. Got a fair amount of dust out. I checked my maintenance manual and it specifically states to oil the Sheaves every 25 hours. I probably will buy a complete new power plant - or have mine rebuilt - seems to me that it makes more sense to buy a new one and keep my old one as a spare.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:40 am

johnheyd wrote:I have a directional nozzle so was able to get inside the case with the nozzle and actually blow out the motor. Got a fair amount of dust out.

Nick suggested to have the motor running when blowing out the dust.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:05 pm

johnheyd wrote:I have a directional nozzle so was able to get inside the case with the nozzle and actually blow out the motor. Got a fair amount of dust out. I checked my maintenance manual and it specifically states to oil the Sheaves every 25 hours. I probably will buy a complete new power plant - or have mine rebuilt - seems to me that it makes more sense to buy a new one and keep my old one as a spare.

Interesting! Mine 'specifically' states every 10 hours running time. But then my manual is a half century old.

I also looked at my quarter century old manual and it did indeed say 25 hours. I had not looked at that before.

Regardless of the blow method used, any now non-resident dust removed is an improvement.

For the small difference in $ I would have to agree.

BTW a Power Pro eliminates the sheave lubrication schedule entirely!;)

jimthej · Post by **jimthej** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:17 pm

What you are describing sounds much like the start winding centrifugal switch is full of sawdust or burned. Do a search for how to repair it. You have to take the motor out and maybe apart, depending on the make of motor in yours.
I helped one of the guys here in town fix his last spring. Not difficult with a decent set of instructions.