Flying Scotsman 70

hi, i've been running my 72 through about 10 tanks and my idle is a little bit high still. When i start it up the idle is fine with the glow stick in it but when i take the stick off the engine seems to sag and tries to die. However the response is sharp and reliable. Is this because the engine isn't totally run in yet or is it a needle setting?

RC Specialties

I agree with w8ye. However, I like to stay in the upper range of recommended engines for an airplane. Sometimes that little extra power saves an airplane. You can always thottle back and have that extra reserve. I got my mustang on its wing tip two feet off the ground on landing. The power of my 1.80 and lots of rudder saved it. After my knees stopped knocking together, I landed.

Jim

RVM

Sounds like your lowspeed needle is rich.

RVM

Having extra power and strong landing gear (I will never use aluminum landing gear again - high quality carbon fiber only for me) will save a plane. I'm with RCSpecialties on this one - it's almost always better to have extra power available.

flamed150

wildcat 2 and 4 cycle 15 18 prop 14x6 i think

rlmcnii

My Feedback: (3)

Flying Scotsman 70'

RVM is probably very correct.

Saitos will run very well with the LS needle very rich. And, to aggravate the situation, Saitos come new with the LS needle set very rich. If you have not yet started to adjust the LS, you should. You will be able to lean it more than you may think is possible. Tuning the LS needle is vital to extracting the best performance and economy from your Saito.

Do not use the LS needle to set the idle speed. That is properly done with the end-point-adjustment in your transmitter or with the throttle linkage in the airplane.

Do not adjust the HS needle other than at FULL THROTTLE, and adjust the HS prior to adjusting the LS.

One other thought. Flying the plane seems to warm the engine better than just letting it idle on the ground. It may help to do your tuning AFTER you have made a couple circuits of the pattern to warm the engine.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I'm with you and Jim. I like to buy the largest displacement engine in a given crankcase size. It is more economically versatile. I'd go with the .82. It puzzles me why Saito even makes/sells the .72 any longer. It's a nice engine, but when the .82 is available for just a little more...

Of course, I should talk. I bought a Saito .56 some months ago and it too shares similar mounting dimensions to the .62, .72 and .82. So much for making sense.


Ed Cregger

RC Specialties

We all do what we do! By the way I did the first test on the 1.80 TurboHeader today. Awesome!!!!!

Jim

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

As in a great big smily.

davewallace

My Feedback: (29)

Jim,
That is a very nice Ultimate. What size APC are you using? Mine came with a 16x8 Zinger and I don't think that it is the best choice. I have several 16x8 APC and a Zinger 15x10 that I might try.

Dave

RC Specialties

Dave,

It is a 16x6 APC. It sings at wot but works great for the way I fly it. It hovers and climbs out great. It could use more pitch for sport flying.

Hobbsy, you are right about the smiley!!!

Jim

RC Specialties

Dave,

The Goldberg Ultimate is a great flyer>

Jim

RVM

I won't bother trying to tune my engine until I've got at least one flight on it. I guess flying it warms it up and expels all the old oil and whatnot from inside the crankcase (especially if you use ARO) and allows the engine to reach normal operating conditions. This allows a very accurate tune.

Also, you'll probably have to continually lean your needs up until you reach 3 or 4 gallons of fuel through the engine. In my admittedly limited experience, it has taken almost 4 or 5 gallons through a Saito to break it in to the point where the needles are not in need of slight adjustment every few tanks.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I'll tweak the tuning before the first flight, but I know that it is a ballpark tuning. I listen closely on takeoff and if it doesn't sound or perform right I'll bring it in and retune.

Ed- I would agree with you except for the .56. It is one of those special engines, imo. They are known to be fine running engines that rarely give a problem. Have you ever noticed that almost nobody at all ever writes about a problem with this one. For me, I think I'll buy another one just in case either Saito or Horizon decides to drop it. I recently bought a new Saito 30 GK that I know I don't need. This is supposed to be a fine engine too and it was discontinued.

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

The .56 is a fine engine. I wish I didn't have so many Enya 53's.

freeonthree

My Feedback: (1)

I love my 56, but I recently bought a used 65 that just needed new bearings for $60.00, and I like it as much as the 56 ! I put it on my new Decathlon, and it runs super fine... The 65 will idle noticeably slower and smoother than the 56. The 56 needs to have a little rich lope to it, to idle and transition well.

Hibrass

My Feedback: (1)

Ok...

I have mananged to mess up the needle settings of my Saito 150.. The motor is broke in and I'm using Wildcat 15% fuel with blended oil. The prop is a Xoar 17x6 and this is part of the problem I was trying to tweak the topend and now it is backfiring during transition and trowing the prop.. Not fun... So I need to reset the LS and HS and retune the engine.....

Suggestions for a starting point for the needle settings???

Thanks,

Hibrass

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

If it is a metal throttle arm, back the LS needle out to even with the end of the carb barrel, if a plastic throttle, back it out to within 1/16th inch of the end of the barrel, then peak the HS needle and procede to lean the LS needle 1/8th turn at a time, checking the transition after every other change.

Hibrass

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Hobbsy,

I will start from there!

freeonthree

My Feedback: (1)

I like to use the pinch method to get my low speed dialed in. While the engine is idleing, I pinch the fuel line, if the engine runs 4 or 5 seconds, then speed up slightly and dies, thats about right, pretty close anyway. If ya release the line when it starts to speed up, it should recover and keep running. If it runs less time, it too lean, and if it runs longer, it was probably lopeing at idle, and was too rich, except for my 72, if it don't lope alot, it's too lean. lol Im not familiar with the larger Saito's, havn't owned one of those yet, but this is how my friend Bruce taught me for my 56,65, and 72. I also go by the rpm drop when I remove the glow starter. If the rpm doesn't drop at all, it's too lean, and if it drops too much and lopes, it's too rich. I never actually checked the rpm's on that, so I can't quote a number. Sometimes I have trouble remembering all the different quirks about these things, but I believe that spitting the prop off is a too rich condition of the low end. I wouldn't take that too the bank unless someone else backs it up though.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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Now that you mention it, you are right. I seldom see any complaints about the Saito .56 and I know there is a lot of them out there. I bought mine to power my Rascal 40. That or the Enya .53 will do a great job. But so would an OS or Sanye .52...


Ed Cregger

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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You lucky rascal.

Well, at least I do have one NIB Enya .53 of fairly recent manufacture. Some people just hog them all up.


Ed Cregger

TimC

Of the five Saitos that I own, I would have to say the .56 is my favorite. I don't what it is about it; maybe the "little engine that could"?

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Larry, I ran 16oz more 10% WildCat through the .91, taking about 40 minutes to do it, then changed to 15%, the new numbers on 15% are as follows. Jim, I'm sure you'll like this too.

APC 14x6
Stock muffler===9,850 rpm
TurboHeader with baffle in place==10,050 rpm
Bolly 13.5x8===9,850 rpm, with the Bolly 9,940 is doable but only for about 20 seconds and then it slowly loses about 50 rpm, two clicks rich lets it hold 9,850 as long as you want. This engine will easily do 10,200 with the 14x6 at some point.

Birman

Dave, I'm impressed. Did you happen to run the TH without the baffle? I'm wondering if I need to get a baffle.

Larry