heavy metal thunder

Cubs and Citabias, and planes like that in the .40 size will do well. I had a Saito .65 in a .40 size Tiger Moth which flew very scale like so you can also use it there.

kevinkenny

Just updating you all on my Spitfire. She should be ready to fl;y in about two weeks. The Saito 91S with Keleo muffler fits great.
Kevin

reyn3545

Today was the day that my Waco with a Saito 450 found some air. Man.. what a nice sounding motor. Plenty of power, runs like a top, and with the McDaniel onboard glow, it never even burped.

It was starting to rain when I took off, so I only had one flight today, but with a little luck, I'll be back out there on Monday.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Kevin, the Spitfire is coming right along. Keep us informed.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Reyn, glad you got a flight in. May you have many more

reyn3545

Thanks... there was another guy at the field today who was also burning to maiden his plane... a Krill Yak. Things got a little busy on the maiden landing, and the plane wound up pancaking the gear, breaking out the gear plate, damaging the fuse and both wings. I got to the field just as they were bringing the pieces back to the work tables.... absolutely makes you sick to see some much time and money go south on the maiden flight. This was a great pilot, just a combination of bad events.

I had a pretty bad season in 2009... hoping for a lot less building and re-building in 2010!

jay1st

Hi SAITO people !

I just bought a SAITO 150GK to fit in a SeaFury FURIAS from GRAUPNER (supposed to be 120 OS in there)

So it's my first SAITO engine but the 2nd 4s, as I have an OS 70 Surpass II.

And have , of course, a couple of questions.

What is the best brake-in method and do I need a onboard glow to have some reliable idling while in flight ?

Tnx a lot folks !

reyn3545

I would go through a good half-gallon of fuel, running rich and at lower RPM (not above above 2500) for break-in. Then, start to adjust the motor for good high RPM (about 300 RPM richer than the motor's highest capable RPM), THEN start to lean out the low-speed needle, which is located in the middle of the throttle arm. Saito sets them to run pretty rich on the low end, and once it's broken in, you will need to lean it out to get good idle and transition. If you still have low speed problems after that, you might think about an onboard glow system. These systems add a good bit of weight, because they require a big Nicad battery to operate properly, so if you can get by without it... you're probably better off. The glow system and battery on mine adds over a pound to the plane's weight.

crossman

I started reading this thread a few weeks back. (No, I haven't read all of it.)

As far as qualifying for the club: I have an FA125 that I bought used to power the Midwest Super Stearman that I am currently building.
Unless something changed in the last 300-400 pages, I think that is all it takes. Many of the guys that I fly with use Saito engines, and I had hoped someday to step up to one. I have picked up a lot of information from this thread that will be quite useful, Including Bill Robison's notes. (I have already bought my intake stack.) I hope to fire up the engine when we get some better weather. In the meantime, I will keep reading here.

Thanks to Sigman for starting a thread that has pulled so much information together. And to everyone for keeping it alive for so long.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Just do it by the manual and you will be okay. The first 10 minutes should be under 4000 rpm. A good way to finish breaking it in is to bump that up to something like 5000 or 5500 rpm for the next tank, 6500 rpm for the third, etc. I usually give it some wide open bumps and increase that as the engine gets time on it.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Crossman- the 1.25 doesn't like the velocity stack. I ran mine with one but it's off now.

RC Specialties

blw,

I agree, the stack is too restrictive on the 1.25. I also removed it and gained back lost rpm.

Jim

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I have three 125's and two FG-20's

The first 125, I had a stack on it but eventually removed the device for it was no bigger than the venturi. I don't have a stack on any of the three 125's now.

reyn3545

How are you guys with the FG motors liking them? I've heard mixed reports, but I havent' flown one... haven't even seen one.
How do they compare with similar sized 2-stroke gas motors?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The FG-20 is very close to the 125 in power.

The FG-20 has been a rocky road for some owners

Many people have really enjoyed their FG-20 engine.

The tank has to be positioned like on a glow engine

The needle valve is very sensitive

crossman

[/quote]



See, that's what I get for only reading the first 300 pages of this thread!! I guess I'll just have to hang on to the stack until I get an .82 for another plane.

Meanwhile, Do I still get a number?

Sharpeye22

See, that's what I get for only reading the first 300 pages of this thread!! I guess I'll just have to hang on to the stack until I get an .82 for another plane.

Meanwhile, Do I still get a number?


[/quote]

You should try your stack just to see how your 125 responds to it. I have two Saito 125s in two different warbirds. When running right side up they do not like the stack. However I run my engines inverted and tyhey love the stacks. I get more consistent throttle responce and about 300 more RPM's out of them. Now I will admit I placed an "O" ring between the Stack and the Carb. and I pollished the inside of the stack so it matched the throttle opening. However without the stack my engines would hasatate a bit on throttle up, andidel was not consistent.

Sharpeye

crossman

The engine will be side mounted in the Stearman. I do plan on trying it both with and without the stack. If there is an RPM drop, I will need to weigh it against the fuel economy and cleaning up the plane.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

They are supposed to have the o ring there.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

My first Saito engine was a brand new (still in production) FA-50 GK, back in the nineties. The instructions were printed in Japan and recommended the use of castor oil lubed fuel. It also said to lock the intake barrel open and to not let the engine run above 4k rpm via the high speed needle. I did as it advised and the engine was flyable in no time at all. Three or four tanks of fuel.

That FA-50 ran as smoothly as I've ever seen any IC engine run like an electric motor. What a pleasant experience it was. Alas, I had a chance to trade it even up for a barely used Jett Engineering Sport .46 and I couldn't resist. Wound up selling the Jett to buy another four-stroke in the end.


Ed Cregger

kevinkenny

Got the Spitfire finished today except for the spinner which needs an extended lock nut and is in the post on the way, I decided to use a 91S from my biplane instead of the new reconditioned Saito 91 I purchased on E bay. I Started the engine using a temporary spinner and had a lot of trouble getting it to run. I spent over an hour until found the problem. See the last photograph.

Kevin

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Do you have a vibration problem?

kevinkenny

Just bad glue. I decided to stick the head with silicone. Do not ask me why as I used epoxy for every thing else. Now I have to take the canopy off re-stick the head with epoxy and re-stick the canopy with silicone.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've seen guys just let them rattle around in there.

TimT2000

My Feedback: (1)

Hi All,, I am going to get the FG 20 for my new GP's Little Toni.  Any one
here have this set up?  I have been flying nitro 30 years now and have recently
got into planes much to big for glow.  Since I have gas engine planes now, I
thought I would try one of these.  The Saitos I have had, have all been great
engines, so a gas 4 stroke Saito seems like a lot of fun.  Any thoughts on the
FG 20 would be great.  TIA

VR
Tim