rexracer

I ran the 1.80 again today. Mid to upper 40's and sunny! I leaned the LS, and boy does this thing love the Cline regulator. 8800 rpm with the MA 18x6 classic. I played with getting the idle real low, just for kicks. Had it running 1350 to 1400 rpms. Sounded like it wanted to stall, but it kept chugging for about a minute, then I opened it up to about 1800 rpms and she purred. Transition? Smack the throttle lever on the test stand to full, didn't bother it a bit. Amazing what steady fuel pressure will do.
I also ran my used .45 MKII that I put bearings in. First time I've run it with the new bearings. Started right up, but seemed to be missing a little. I leaned out the top end, but it still was pumping a lot of smoke. After running for a while (4 oz or so) the miss seemed to mostly go away, but it still didn't like going below 3500 rpm or so. Because of all the smoke, and not liking the low rpms, I figured it was too rich on the low end, and tried to lean it. Got it a little leaner, but it would just quit if I tried to go past a certain point. This was right after I ran my 1.80. Same fual and conditions. Wildcat 15% 18% synth/castor blend. I had an OS-f plug, put in a new hangar-9 plug to try that. Couldn't really get it to idle much below 2800rpm, with or without heat. I had a MA 11x6 on it and it ran 10,200 peaked, which is pretty good I think (Hobbsy?) Tried an 11x7 and dropped to 9200-9300 rpm.
I guess I'm just wondering about the cause of all the smoke...It smokes at all settings, and at WOT it's a lot! It did get better with more fuel, maybe it just needs run time to be able to lean the low end more? It still seems to be missing at low rpms, which is probably why I can't get a lower idle.
Any ideas anyone?
PS. when I did the bearings, I rebuild the carb so it has all new o-rings right to the motor. The first thing I thought when I heard the way it was running at first was intake leak. Valves are adjusted, timing must be right, but it smokes like a car with a blown head gasket.[]

mike early

What is the size of the allen wrench needed for the High Speed Needle Valve extension set screw? 1.3mm?

rexracer

Should be 1.5 mm

mike early

Thanks good man!

Indiomike

My Feedback: (5)

Hi All
I just purchased a new FA100 and am in the process of breaking it in. The engine will start okay but I find it has what I would describe as excessive vibration. I think it would be very hard on a firewall with that much vibration. Prop is a wood 13X10 and properly balanced. Fuel is Omega 15 percent nitro. Needle valve open 5 turns from fully closed (per instruction manual) I am keeping the RPM's down around 4000 to 4500. I have run two 16 ounce tanks through it. After it cooled down I did a valve clearence check and found what I believed to be not enough gap. The supplied guage would not slide in. So I opened the gap by about .003mm to give about a .008mm gap. The next tank was a little better. Not quite as much vibration but still too much in my estimation. I also leaned the main needle valve to about two full turns open. The engine responds very quickly to throttle imputs. Again, it's just too much vibration in my opinion. Total run time on this engine is now about 40 minutes. Is it normal for a Saito to vibrate excessively during the break-in process? I know the engine is running very rich right now, tons of smoke coming from the exhaust. I don't want to lean it too soon before it has a chance to wear in. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated very much.
Thanks
Mike

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

You need to get your needle valves set and the engine will calm down especially after a little more run time

nubrnchld

did you have to do anything special to this engine for i to run so well i also have the .91 and it is also my first four stroke and i have yet to fire it up. was there much adjusting after you fired it?

nuborn

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Run it like the manual says and expect it to shake some and use a lot of fuel at first. You can start bumping up the RPMs after the first 10 minutes like the manual says, and Hobbsy has posted an excellent system in this thread. You should see it smooth out before the 4th tank. Fuel economy will get better. You can start leaning it out after the first or second tank, and set it for flying (leaned out just right) when you put it on your model at this point.

rexracer

once you get the HS needle leaned and peaked, you need to lean the low speed needle. This is where the fuel consumtion, and shaking, will go way down. I had to lean the LS on my 1.80 by about 3 full turns, but every engine is different.

GATTUSO2170

My Feedback: (4)

ok guys im runnin a saito 180 in a twist 150 got about 3\4 of a gal. through it and leaned it up a bit about 1\4 turn on the low and ran up to max rpm with the high and backed it off a half turn the engine runs great on the ground i can hold the plane strait up and it just bairly raises up rpms however in the air as soon as i bank to go into a turn it dies plz help

GATTUSO2170

My Feedback: (4)

carb is level with top of tank i dont now if that could be causing it but ive read of guys runnin there tanks back at the cg without a pump with the 180

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

There must be something wrong with the clunk in your tank for the engine to be that sensitive

stallwart

What is the best fuel tubing to use for the clunk? I have one plane with the clunk on a line that dances about, rather than falling to the low side in the tank. It's only a problem during certain maneouvers (sp?) involving rolling to the right in a climb or minus g conditions.

I try to find the most flexible line---similar to that that comes with some tanks---but, some tanks that are ideally suited to fit the ARF they're supplied with, don't supply that nice small diameter clear fuel line.

Indiomike

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks to everyone for the comments and information. I will run it some more tomorrow

Mike

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Some brands of fuel tubing is just too stiff for a clunk. If the clunk is standing straight out and will not drop towards the bottom side of the tank it is too stiff.

I have used the Tower Hobbies regular light blue tubing but it us more stiff than the Dubro or Sullivan tubing supplied with new tanks.

Daniel Amaral

I'm new on 4-Cycle.. Considering to buy a Saito 100.
Could someone explain to me about the fuel for this kind of engine? What is recommended? Thanks!

mike early

I've read a lot of different opinions on the best fuel mixtures for Saito 4-strokes. What fuels are the moderators using?

rexracer

I use Wildcat 15% nitro, 18% oil. The oil in it is , I believe, an 80% synth, 20% castor mix. Most here agree that a little castor is good. Saito's seem to run well on anything from 5% to 30% nitro. Hope this helps.

Daniel Amaral

The regular Wildcat 10% nitro, 18% oil would be ok???

blw

My Feedback: (3)

18% oil content is fine.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The last two years I've used Rich's brew 15% nitro with the combo oil package

Prior to that for about 3 years, i used Morgan's Omega 15%

Before that i used the Rich's brew 15% nitro for a couple years

An before that it was Omega 10% nitro for a few years

wagen017

over here we fly either with 5% or 10% nitro, either is good for a Saito. 18% oil is perfect; 2-3% castor, rest synthetic. I use Klotz for oil, but that's just because it is recommended by the LHS and seems to work fine for everybody flying with it.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

My fuel of choice for the last 17 years has been WildCat 10 or 15% nitro with 18%/80/20 syn/castor blend as others above have stated.

phippsa3

Just thought id post on the Saito thread.
Bought my first Saito about six weeks ago (Saito 91s) Best four stroke engine i have ever owned.
Have since bought the Saito 82 Golden Knight and the Saito 125. These engines are fantastic. Easy to tune and sound great.

Definately hooked on Saito engines!

*JCB*

My Feedback: (9)

Hello all,

I got my first Saito engine, a 100. I haven't started the motor yet as the plane that it's going in isn't quite complete. I have a few questions.

-I'm installing this motor on a Sig Hog Bipe, would a 15x7 apc prop be a good setup for this application?
-I was planning on using cool power 30% heli fuel in this engine, any thoughts about this?
-People have been talking about excessive vibration during initial break in, should i not not install the engine into my plane for initial break in? For all my other planes/engines, i have broken the engine in right on the plane without any problems, but this vibration thing has got me a little worried.

Thanks!!