Timbers

My Feedback: (3)

No I haven't cut the vents out, but you can't cut them out to scale, you would basically have to just cut them out completely, because they are just glued on luvers <Spelling.

Pete mentioned even blocking off half of the opening so that air goes over the head.

The full size Yak doesn't have a spinner does it? It has one of those little bullet spinners? I have a full size spinner on mine, I think a 3" but I'm not sure. Maybe that is restricting air too?

Rick.

The ratio of air inlet to air exhaust is i believe 3:1, due to the air expansion when heated - its the same for cowled in electric motors and any hot parts like hi amp esc and batts. If you don't have a big air outlet the region inside the cowl becomes effectivly dead air, like an oven. ideally angled inlet baffles should funnel in to practically the sides of the jug, forcing the cold air through the fins. shame saito didn't make the fins just a little wider - not like a Zenoah's big plates, but at least maybe 50% more area imo.

R/C Foolish

My Feedback: (6)

Well, I flew my Edge 540 again with the FG-20. I put an APC 16x8 prop on, loading was much better, after being able to adjust needle valve. Motor ran ok, nice transition and great sound but not a ton of power. It is ok for what it is but too pricey just as an every day flier. I can buy 2 DL20's for the same price. I have played around with my FG-20 for over a year, I am satisfied with the way it runs but not impressed.

Steven Chen

kyosho 90 spitfires
Saito FG 20
CDI:Rcexl

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCpbvs-OS_8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Dx2tXSELM[/youtube]

washfire

Does anyone have anything good tosay about the FG20? I was thinking about putting one in th ehanger 9 p51d but after reading all this I'm not sure???
[]

bcchi

Send me the Ignition I will fix it at no charge.Going in for more surgery in Feb they are going to tie my ribs togeather with titanium bars and wire what is left of my sternum back togeather.It"s all came apart. Only hurts when I am awake or breathe.
BCCHI

rmalko

Sounds painful...good luck with it.

MaxAdventure

My Feedback: (7)

try doing additional searches and be sure to use your brain to filter comments read; here is a thread started due to all the negative wash in this thread:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_96...tm.htm#9632504
it was intended as a much more constructive thread and has a lot of positive things to say. There are other things to read out on the net using Google as well.

The problem is, so many are all about power and they (for some unknown reason) picked a 4-cyl (less power per pound than a 2-cyl) and picked a gas (less power per pound than glo) engine - a Saito FG, and then proceed to talk about the lack of power. Mind you, that's just one example. There are clearly other challenges. I love them because I love the idea of a 4cyl gas and I really don't have the budget for a Moki or some of the great low production German engines out there. I also love fiddling with things to make them work, and the sensitive needle, sensitive cooling, and sensitive air hole on the FG20 really feed that and make it fun for me. It makes it that more rewarding when I flying a plane with my engine and hear that awesome Saito sound and I'm spending a fraction on gas/oil vs glow.

I think think they're not an engine for everyone, although some feel anything from a big name should appeal to the masses, not a niche. *shrug*

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Well said

Antique

My Feedback: (4)

One of my good customers has one on a Sig Kadet...He flies every day and just putts around the sky..150+ hours on it so far, documented..Excel ignition with the stock Saito spark plug...Horizon replaced some parts on it, can't remember, I think the exhaust valve and maybe a bearing..

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I have CH RCEXL Ignition on mine

Lightspeed1551

My Feedback: (4)

Just ran mine for the first time today. It fired right up!
I blended the gas and Klotz brand oil right (20:1) , hooked it up to a 4.8V 700mha battery, and replaced the original plug with the new "hex hed" plug and every ting work great.
Holy moly is the thing nice. Great transition from idle to full, no odd tendencys and it gave me about 10lbs 4 oz. of pull with a wood 15X6 (and it isen't  well broke in yet). I can't wate to fly this bad *** little engine.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

After you get it broken in you will want to change to a 15 X 8 or 16 X 6

MaxAdventure

My Feedback: (7)

Exactly the reason I bought too many and over extended myself. I'm glad you like it so far.

Neo gold

Engines great for the occasional flyer that tootles around with a cub...or something steady like that.....
Always ran mine to manual...20:1 & used fully synthetic Castrol TTs as manual....even used original plugs etc....
Put gallons & gallons through it & originaly was in a H9 hellcat...then i moved it into a 71" Cmpro razorback....large open cowl & large outlets for cooling, very important with this engine...i got this engine tuned spot on & was getting 25 minute-flights!!!...
Was never impressed with the engine when i found out that the con-rod has no bearings & just runs on the hardened crank...poor imho.
Eventually i got big-end elongation & that let go & threw the con-rod through the side of the engine!!....luckily i brought the plane down & took the engine back to the retailer...they thought i ran it lean & with poor lube...'until they stripped it down in front of me & saw plenty of lubrication in all the right places
They sent it off & saito replaced with a complete new unit...which i then sold back to the shop!!...buy a Roto.

Lightspeed1551

My Feedback: (4)

Cub, yea that's funny. It will be towing my .90 size 3D plane through the air.

rwijnhov

After getting my fourth engine from saito I too gave up. The engine ran eventualy verry well. But I kept burning exhaust valves.

Timbers

My Feedback: (3)

Mine has burned three exhaust valve seats now. Horizon fixed it each time. They told me it isn't getting enough air for cooling. I'm scared to run it again!

Neo gold

Yes, yes of course...i perfected the art of 'dead-stick' landings with heavy fiberglass warbirds!...in all worst case scenarios...

Rick.

hmmmm, well, if Neo got big end elongation after a few gallons then I guess overloading the engine would greatly worsen than scenario - in which case my plans to run it somewhat overpropped on like an 18x6, in my big old timer vintage model are not do-able. I'll have to reluctantly stick to the recommended 16x6 and keep it well lubed and keep it down to 1/3 throttle for like 90% of its run time.  At £430 for this engine, i'll want to get hundreds of flights out of it, not just a few dozen......................

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

A
APC 17 X 4W pulls pretty easy on one of these.

Rick.

thanks W8ye, 17x4w eh! i'll bear that in mind.  Though from what Neo said i'm concerned not so much about wether the FG20 can spin the prop (i'm sure it would turn and fire even with 20" prop), but how long that conrod bigend will last if the engine is forced to grunt a bit over many flights.

Preferably, i like those neatly crafted JXF (Xoar) brand props, they simply LOOK good and well profiled, like they should be as efficient as they claim - compared to some brands which resemble crudly shaped planks of wood - of course thats just my opinion and not based on data.  If i could get a JXF 17x4 i'd be fairly content that the loading shouldn't be much if any, worse than with the 'standard' 16x6 advocated for this engine.  I do note from the instructions that saito says after run-in use a larger prop! but they don't say how large!

The reason Saito opted to NOT incorporate a proper bronze bearing at the very least totally perplexes me (and others too). If they decide to start producing bushed conrods later on i think it would be worth the expense and strip-down aggrivation to retro fit it - as others have said, this is a very expensive engine for its size and type and i would have expected the very best in engineering practice rather than a short-cut 'hope it works' kinda solution - well no good beefing i guess.  I'll just be running it at low throttle anyways so hopefully it'll be good for a few hundred flights before the dreaded 'elongation' sets in.

Just wish i could get the ruddy plane finished now...........Lol

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Yes, Xoar props are good

My experience says run a 15 X 6 for a few hours until it seems to have loosened up before you go to a 15 X 8 or 16 X 6

The APC 17 X 4W does not load the engine down anymore than a 15 X 6

There is a problem with the 17 X 4W in that the hub is too thin and the prop washer/nut will bottom out

Rick.

ok, well if the 17x4 is a bit thin, would a 17x6 be ok do you think?

AND, once fully run-in , would the 17x6 cause bad, bigend wear???? what's your best guess on that please?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

A Xoar 17 X 6 would be a lot of load for a FG-20