beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Something weird happened today, I had just started my Saito 125 for the first time today and was giving it some throttle to warm her up when all of a sudden the motor quit and the prop came to a complete stop instantly. The prop was very hard to turn over as if something was wrong internally. I got the motor home and started to take it apart for inspection and where the connecting rod connects to the crank shaft its very very tight and seems to be the problem. Whats the fix for this and how do I remove the con-rod? Also the motor is still under warranty so if its a repair that will require parts I will probably send it in for repair.

Ken6PPC

I don't know if Horizon will fix that under warranty or not, but I think I'd send it in, since it is still under warranty. You will very likely need a new connecting rod, or some other part, because it isn't normal for one to stop while running a bind up!

I hope you had enough oil in your fuel!

Horizon has been pretty good to me regarding warranty work. I had one that was doing crazy things, and sent it in. Horizon couldn't duplicate the problem, but replaced the engine for me under warranty.

That kind of service is largely the reason I now have 8 Saitos!

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

The connecting rod has seized onto the crankpin

I've fixed them myself nut you may want to send it in under warranty?

d_bodary

My Feedback: (85)

you gotta pull the cylinder off first.

beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Im gonna send it in under warranty, I dont see why it would be my fault this happened. I broke in my engine per manual, always ran a little rich, used cool power 15% nitro, and lubricated with after run oil. Horizon hasnt let me down in the past.

Mr. Mugen

I was under the impression these engines don't like cool power due to lack of castor...is that right? I know my YS hates castor becasue of it's pump but never heard anyone (locally) running anything without castor. Whats the lube of choice for saito's?

Kevin

beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Im not sure exactly what Saito's like but I was at Mac Hodges hobby shop a while back to buy some glow fuel and I told them I was using Omega Fuel which is a synthetic/castor blend and they said to stick to all synthetic which is what Cool Power is. I went with what they said since they have been doing this stuff for years. Also the recommended fuel for the Saito 125 from Horizon Hobbys website is 10%-30% synthetic mix.

airbusdrvr

I am no Saito expert but do have two of them(120 and 125). I've read a lot of posts and threads on RCU about Saitos and the majority consensus seems to be to use some Castor in the fuel. I use Omega which is part synthetic and part castor. I add 4 oz of castor to each gallon bringing it up to 20 percent oil with about one fourth the oil being castor. That being said, I still had my Saito 125 break a valve cam gear due to rust, according to Horizon. The engine was less than six months old. I checked the 125 about a week ago(pulled the backplate) and it seemed OK. Just the reddish coloring from the castor and Omega fuel.

Ken6PPC

I would ALWAYS use a fuel with at least SOME castor in it, or add some myself if I had to. Even if I didn't want to use castor long term, I would still want at least a little in the fuel for break-in. If there had been some castor in your fuel during break-in, it might have prevented the con rod from seizing on the crank pin. When things go wrong, castor gives you much more protection than synthetics, and even castor haters usually have to agree with that.

However, I do know people who use Cruel, err I mean, Cool Power in their Saitos.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've always used fuel with some castor.

I always bought Omega from Mac Hodges when I went there

I've never seen anything but trouble with regular Cool Power

beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Synthetic is just a man made lubricant, its got to be equivalent to castor in some degree or everyone using it would have engine problems. I highly doubt my problem was due to the type of fuel. Its like if I had car problems and I said I used full synthetic mobil 1 oil and some people said I should have used a synthetic mix instead of full synthetic. Its just personal preference.

Mr. Mugen

Yes and no. Car engines are not turning these rpm's. They also are lubed much differently. Castor when burned turns into 2 much better products. Check into it...might be worthwhile. If nothing else just to learn about castor. I was amazed at how good it is for just about anything. I now use it in my dirtbikes, weed wackers, chainsaws, you name it. Nothing wrong with extra protection. This is just my opinion. I don't expect anyone to agree.

Kevin

42etus

My Feedback: (2)

Here we go. Another castor /synthetic debate. I wont add to it except to say that Saito specifically lists Cool Power as an acceptable fuel. RTFM.
Paul

Motorboy

The syntetic oil are not a 100% replacement for castor oil, read this link: http://www.modelenginenews.org/faq/index.html#qa5

beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Thats funny because when I went up there and asked if they had Omega they said no and recommended Cool Power instead.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Cool Power has already spoken. You have the seized connecting rod to prove it.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Beach, consider this, I have 18 Saitos, four Enya fourstrokes and one OS fopurstroke and have run nothing but WildCat fuel with 18% syn/castor blend since 1992. Last summer I ran 6 gallons of PowerMaster with the same 18% syn/castor blend. I've never replaced a bearing or had any other lube related issue in all that time. Currently I have a gallon of WildCat 2/4 with 18% all synthetic I'm limiting to one engine, my Saito 1.15. On disassembly the 1.15 cam was wet with lube and after sitting disassembled for two weeks the cam, lifters and crankshaft are still wet. I still feel safer with the syn/castor blend.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

Technically, you voided the Saito warranty when you disassembled the engine.

No matter how hard I have tried over the years, people still don't get the message to NOT disassemble their engine while the engine is still under warranty. Disassembling the engine voids the warranty.

Sometimes, the engine repair facility will cut you a break if it is obvious that the original fault was a defective part. However, there have been times when an engine that would otherwise have been covered by warranty was not repaired under the warranty because the buyer of the engine made it impossible to know exactly what happened because of their interference by disassembly. Let's hope that is not the case this time.


Ed Cregger

XJet

Gosh Ed, you must have pretty lousy consumer protection laws over there.

Here, unless the dismantling/re-assembly of the engine had clearly caused damage, a supplier couldn't duck their obligation by using that excuse.

beachbrada

My Feedback: (17)

Technically you are posting without having the correct info, I just went through the manual and found the little blurp about taking apart your engine. Here what it says straight from the manual: "
Do not needlessly disassemble your
Saito engine. Only qualified
individuals should perform engine
repairs. Damage due to improper
disassembly will not be covered under
warranty. If it becomes necessary to
repair the engine, such as after a crash,
you can send your engine to the
authorized service center at."

It says do not needlessly disassemble your engine, well I didnt disassemble for sh*ts and giggles, it also says only qualified individuals should perform repairs. All I did was inspect, no repairs were made. Then its says damage due to improper disassembly will not be covered under warranty, well no additional damage was done to the engine besides what was already damaged. And last, if it becomes necessary for repairs send it in, which its on its way to Horizon as we speak.

And for all the Cool Power haters, 90% of the people I fly with use Cool Power, unless Horizon calls me and says that the engine failure was due to my fuel Im not switching so you're wasting your time with your Chevy vs Ford posts. And please dont reply saying that Im over-reacting because Im not, this thread wasnt intended for fuel wars.

Motorboy

As a rule, stupid head wins over the mind ..

Try to assembly the engine without destroying the engine of tool misuse and get sent to the dealer for warranty repair.. Has the engine been scratches or marks of the tool, so you've got problems. [sm=50_50.gif]

Saito engine is very picky on oil content and do not have the same characteristics as the other 4 stroke engines.

Ram Jet

Ed, warranty schmoranty. From what I have heard from our Australian members, Saito just jerks you around anyway. I disassemble every engine I acquire, new or used. I know I'm not alone.

Bill

XJet

The difference between a poor oil and a good oil often only becomes apparent under exceptional circumstances.

Good oil is like insurance if you're lucky, you don't need it. If you're not lucky, you'll be glad you've got it.

Crash-RCU

Saito says to use only snythetic oil because of carbon build up from the castor. Most just disregard that and use the sny/castor blend because of superior lube quality of castor.

Motorboy

Those who have had Saito many years to know what they are talking about choosing fuel that does not ruin the engine and how to keep the engine maintenance such as William Robison had spent much time and effort to make Saito engines more reliable.
Read here that you do not have knowledge of the Saito engine and plan to have a Saito engine, it is worth knowing: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5843055/tm.htm [sm=thumbup.gif]