thorn247

My Feedback: (6)

I have just recieved my first saito...it is a fa 80 gk, letter s, It came in a gold and black box, Is there anything I should look for and check besides the valve clearance before i start it? It was used so I probably wont need to touch the low end to get it running

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Make sure the bearings feel smooth

Cherokee Flyer

And set the valves after you have run it a few tanks full. SET THEM WITH THE ENGINE COLD!!!

L.

thorn247

My Feedback: (6)

Bearings are smooth...all you can hear is the ticking of the valves when its spun, what would be a good place to start with the high needle? I should prob get the carb upgrade too i supose?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

about 2 1/2

Tarasdad

http://saito-engines.info/

Lots of good info to be found here.

chunkyplunker

Not meaning to brag or anything, (well maybe a little), I just picked up a beautiful new 60 size Super Sportster with a new FA-91GK mounted on it. Never flown or run. The sad part is the man who built it passed away before he finished it, and it has some great workmanship in it.
My only fear is doing justice to such a nice piece of work. The only thing left to finish is one small piece of covering and putting screws in the engine. It appears that the last thing he done to it was position the engine and drilled and tapped the mount for the screws. I hope to get it ready for a flyin this weekend. So please wish me luck so I can pay at least a little tribute to a fallen flyer. I know I will be thinking of him while I fly it even if I didn’t know him.

mike109

G'day

Good luck with the Sportster. I can relate to you with this model. Our club president died recently at quite a young age leaving a large collection of models. I bought an ARF Space Walker (still in its box) and the unused Laser 150 engine he had bought for it and am close to taking it for its first flight. It is quite strange to go to the club and see some of his models but not see him flying them. We are thinking of running an event in his name to keep his memory alive in the club and we have given his wife life membership of the club too. I just hope I can do the model justice.

There were a number of Saitos in his collection (my fault - I introduced him to them) but they have gone to other owners. I would have liked his FA-180 which is in a large Sig Rascal but it went elsewhere.

Cheers.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

Why buy a nice engine and then ruin it by running a piece of plastic garbage on the nose? Seriously, I've seen a bunch of those things cause serious problems, even the metal back plate versions. Safety first! Appearance second.


Ed Cregger

mike early

I doubt that it'll ruin the engine.

VictoryRoll

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Sigman!

I own two Saito's and love them! An FA-125 in A Seagull Ultimate 90, and just got a FA-100 BK for my Big Stik. Do I qualify for membership? Would greatly appreciate!

Thanks,

Don

AMA#905932
Millis Model Aircraft Club, Millis, MA

Rudolph Hart

Hi ed yes i had one go pop last year after using a starter on it.Looked really funny flying forwards after making a strange sound at idle,the plastic spinner that is..

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

You are a mind reader, OF. Damage from using a starter was exactly what I was thinking about.


Ed Cregger

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've never had but one Saito backfire and that was the Saito 72 back in 2001.

JohnB96041

Same here. I have several Saito engines. Single and twin. Never, Never had one backfire or kick back. Never threw a prop or broke a spinner. Sometimes use a hand start method, but generally use an electric starter on the spinner. Always start the engine with low throttle setting.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The time mine backfired I suppose was my fault.

The engine was inverted. I would close the needle valve and put the starter to the engine and as the engine was turning over, I would open the needle to the running position. The engine backfired "while still lean" before I got the needle opened fully.

I eventually crashed the plane and have never had another inverted engine plane.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

I wasn`t thinking about a backfire as much as the wearing out and eventual failure of the plastic cone from repetitive use of the electric starter.


Ed Cregger

thorn247

My Feedback: (6)

I had a backfire (threw the prop) trying to run my saito 80 for the first time tonight, Turns out the low end was way lean and I am at 4.5 turns out on the high end on Byrons 15%, and Mas 14x6....Does this seem right? This is my first 4 stroke...It also seems I have lost a valve cover screw, anyone have one LOL It also seems to idle rough untill about 2500 to 3000 rpms? I had to richen the low end 1 full turn from the previous owner?

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Ed- I've never even owned an all metal spinner. I've never had starter damage either. I now use the GP ones with metal backplates.

I've had a .72 and 1.25 backfire. Both were soft little coughs that could have been easily overlooked. Neither damaged the spinners. The 1.25 was my fault when trying to cut corners tuning it. The .72 was due to air leaks and/or a collapsed exhaust vent tube. Maybe W8YE remembers that better than I do.

Fishingships- I'll get you a number in the morning. A cat is sleeping on the notepad where I keep them.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

In my experience, the plastic on the Dubro will sometimes have a melted streak on it but doesn't seem to hurt anything but appearance. Other than mar the finish, there doesn't seem to be any actual structural damage

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

I never had good luck with CGM spinners (all plastic) and other brands of all plastic spinners. I was always losing the tip. I really tighten down my props and I suspect that the extra torque deformed the backplate, leading to losing the tip cone. I do not like "shaft runs", if you know what I mean?

Then CB came out with their metal backplate/plastic cone system. They worked, because I hand started my two-stroke pattern engines, but the rpm loss versus no spinner at all was 500 rpm or more. We're talking about engines that turned up near 14k rpm or higher. Tru-Turn's all metal spinners produced a neglible rpm loss most times, so I just used them, then and now.

I hate the nasty wear rings left around the plastic spinner cones by the starters. Yeah, it's just aesthetics, but it is enough of a deterrant for me. To each his own, I guess.


Ed Cregger

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Me too.

Fishingships- you are member #691.

Anyone else???

Sharpeye22

Iam not sure if I joined yet. If so it was to long ago for me to remember. If Ihave could you check and tell me my number. If not please sign me up as a member.

I Subscribe to this group and read it each day. I have even posted on it from time to time. My Saito stable include:

FA-30S in a top flight elder 20 on floats
two FA-56 in a F-82 with the right on counter rotating
FA-72 in a GP Pete-n-polk on floats
FA-72 in a P-51B
FA-82 in a Spacewalker
FA-100 setting on shelf waiting for an airframe
FA-125 in a H9 Spitfire
FG-20 in a peashooter
FG-20 waiting on shelf for an airframe
FG-14 waiting on shelf for an airframe
FG-36 in a sopwith triplane

Larry

Rudolph Hart

About the time i noticed that melted streak on the spinner you speak of that front part parted company with the aeroplane

Rudolph Hart

Ask for number one mate,i think it's redundant