Dave :^)

Hi all,
was out flying last night, FA-65 (6 flights never touched needle) O.M. Ken (40 years+ experience) with OS48 surpass (25 mins fiddling with carb, 0 flights) I know this is a bit extreme but I think I've adjusted the Saito once this year. The only other four stroke I'd even consider has to be a Laser.
Dave :^)

carrellh

Can't be the weight in the case of the engines the original question asked about; because the Saito is heavier than the OS.

From Torque Wrench:
Weights
Saito .56==15.9oz
OS .52===15.4oz

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Torque Wrench,

Thanks a million for doing that test and posting those figures ! That helps me immensly, I will definately be going with the Saito. I will be running a velocity stack on the Saito which will make it even more efficient, so I should get quite a bit more run time from it than with the OS.

JettPilot

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Thanks JP, if I can find a few minutes to blow in the next couple of days I will throw the Enya .53 into the mix. I see that it is being discussed in another thread.

Volcanxxx

OS is the best, if you want to spend more time on tuning and heli fuel get a Saito

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

You only have to tune a Saito once, that doesn't make them the best, the fact that you can't wear a Saito out does.

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

Saito replacement parts are generally in stock at Horizon and not too highly priced. OS parts seem to be more expensive and not all parts are available (from Tower).

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Too many folks here have had the opposite experience and will not buy into Volcan's unfounded statement.

JP, what you say is true.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

The reason people continually tweak needles is generally because they don't know what they are doing. Sometimes it's a finicky engine, but not that often.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

When you get good at reading between the lines, the "finicky" part applies to the owners.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

You are right about that. I should have said something like engines with a slight problem somewhere.

We have a guy in the club that can't stop himself from screwing the needle valves in and out on every engine he owns every time he cranks them up. He's got some other bad habits too. He's the only person I ever saw make W8YE get mad.

Rudolph Hart

It's easier to tell them they don't know jack about tuning a saito,bugger off and practice on an plain bearing os46 ya mongrel.

Propworn

My Feedback: (3)

I have both and I like both. Can't say I have had a complaint with either brand. I also use YS and love them as well. I think the OS cylinder and head when exposed in say a cub or such look more scale than the Saito. However when your attempting to hide the single cylinder in a dummy radial the Saito looks more like it belongs.

Saito has the cylinder and head as one piece eliminating the need for head bolts or gaskets. OS on the other hand has a head and cylinder held together with head bolts of course. Strip out the threads on an exhaust port and with the OS you replace the head. With a Saito you have to replace the cylinder/head casting.

They both run flawlessly in my opinion and I'm happy to own either. Sometimes you people are just plain silly

Dennis

spaceworm

Off subject.

Dave, yesterday I saw a beautifully restored Farmall. I will take a pic and send it to you. It's for sale, shall I make an offer for you?

The very best to you and yours,
Richard

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

I'll look forward to the picture, right now I'm restoring/rescuing a Craftsman Statesman 38" 12.5 hp lawnmower. It's only saving grace is it's excellent running engine.

I just received a Saito FA .40a in the mail yesterday, all I've done so far is fondle it and admire.

jeffie8696

I run both and I have had good luck with them. My Saito 62 is very sensitive to needle but it is the only Saito I have every had any trouble with. I have a Saito 1.00 on my 60 size Escapade which I will be flying today. My OS40Surpass on my Dazzler is a great combo, very predictable. The OS70Surpass on my Sukhoi took some breaking in and adjustment but it settled down and pulled that plane around great. I could go on about my Saito 50 and 45 and 40 and my OS26 but I think you get the point, both are great brands

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Since this thread has been sputtering along since 2006, and it is still relevant, I thought I would chime in. I've had a good number of both Saito and OS over the years including the early open rocker type of each, and have no complaints about either. I think a lot of the trouble people have with fiddling with needle settings has to do with changing fuel type, or prop size, or using old fuel, or temperature change. Some engines seem to like a very narrow range of props, and others you can put anything on them and get them to spin. Other things that can cause difficult tuning are fuel tank set-up and poor muffler pressure. My avatar shows a Kadet Sr. with two old OS FS .61's, one with a reverse cam, and they could easily be tuned to be in sync and with straight exhaust and no tank pressure. The FS .61 must be a good engine if it was chosen by Maynard Hill to power the Spirit of Butts Farm across the Atlantic in 2003. quite an accomplishment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sp..._Butts%27_Farm

706jim

I have a plane with two Surpass 40's running counter rotation. Did you notice a difference in turning performance in your setup? I found it made a difference in that the plane turned either way without dropping or raising the nose.

Jesse Open

Could not agree more. Add to that, the YS engines that oh so many whine about. Funny thing, when someone complains about Saito, to them it is a finicky owner. When they ,themselves have a problem with YS, it's all the engine's fault. More problem owners than problem enines in most cases.
Gotta just sit back and grin sometimes.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

When I sold my 4 YS engines, I sat down and played and sang Roy Clark's song, Thank God and Greyhound your gone.

Jesse Open

Like I said

Running them since the very ealry1980s . Never regretted learning the differences. Great engines. The idle and transition alone make them worth having. The edded power, flexibilty in tank size and location are welcome bonuses.

Thankfully I was not present for your Moosicalshow

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

My OS with the counter-rotating cam seems to run identical to normal. just make sure the prop nut is on good and tight.

706jim

I agree about the engine performance. And I never had any problem with prop nuts coming loose. I had to run APC pusher props which worked fine but looked pretty ugly mounted backwards.

Rudolph Hart

I have to disagree jim,if apc props look average,and they do,that would put grey graupner props in to the 'needs plastic surgery' class automatically.

Flight risk a slow learner is a slow learner,take me for example.Made the same mistakes with variations just to confuse myself,obviously,and make the steep learning curve more entertaining for the first few years cheers

Jesse Open

So true.

Like Stan Laurel says:

" You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead."