bob8619

I know what you meant I was just busting your chops. I'm not sure what the 125 should get for the idle or top end. Mine has less than 2 gallons through it and I was having some trouble with tuning it before I stripped the glow plug hole, so right now I'm on hold until I get the cylinder returned to me. When I was running it I was seeing under 8000 rpms max using 10% fuel and that was with the 16/8 apc prop. In the glow engine forums I was told that the prop was the cause of the low rpm's. I will be using a 15/8 prop once I get it back up and running. I was able to get my idle down into the 2000's but it wasnt very healthy sounding.

funcars

OK, you got me on that one. I'll owe you one.

Sorry to hear about the stripped glo plug hole. That had to hurt! I'll be running mine up one more time tomorrow on the test stand before I do my final tuning to the HS and LS needles. I'll let you know how it goes. I really want to get this engine properly tuned so I can get it into the aircraft so I can get it flying before the cold wx sets in. Everything else other then the new right angle adaptor is ready to go.

Gary

SkyPilot101

Peak the high needle, then richen about 300 rpm, Then at idle, pinch the fuel line and observe what happens. The rpm should increase a small amount before the engine dies. If it's gaining a lot, your low speed is too rich, usually have to lean the low speed a good full turn from stock on low nitro fuel. My 115 needed a good turn and a half leaner over factory.

bob8619

The saito manual said 40 minutes is sufficient for breaking in. But that's less than a gallon of fuel. Do engines get easier to tune as more fuel has gone thru them?

SkyPilot101

Bob, once set a glow engine does not need much messing around with. Set your top and low end as I described, then when your ready to maiden, richen your top end "high speed needle" around 6 or 700 off peak rich, every few flights lean it by a click or two, ending at 300 rpm rich after a gallon or two of fuel. This is a nice easy break in if your concerned about it. Of course others may have different takes on breaking in a four stroke.

bob8619

Trust me Sky, I have done that and then some. But my last question wasnt about how to tune one, it was: do engines get easier to tune after they have been run for longer periods of time?

bob8619

And to anyone who has built this plane and maybe has flown it: When I maidened this plane, it really wanted to pitch up, I mounted the engine just as the manual says, do they sometimes need modifications for thrust purposes?

predman

My Feedback: (7)

mine flies awesome, I have a dle 20 up front and had to add weight to balance, no issues.

bob8619

Yeah I had to add over a pound to get mine balanced

funcars

After reading the probable need to add nose weight I'm going to relocate the battery from it's intended position to somewhere on the firewall in hopes of reducing the amount of weight I'll have to add. I've also installed the Tru Turn spinner, adaptor and locking nut adding a little more weigtht at the very froint end.

I just finished the initial break-in of my SAITO 125. It idles at 2500 rpm and peaks at around 8500rpm with an Evolution 16X6 prop. I'm hoping to get everything buttoned up this weekend so I can fly this thing. I realize I'll have to go back at some minor carb tweaking after I've run a few gallons through it.

Any flying advice would be appreciated.


Best,


Gary A

WI53072

I got my DLE up and running with the factory settings. Sad to say but the 4-stoke guys can pull their hair out so to speak. They sound neat though. My Saito's ran nice when I ran 4's. The Saito 72 was my favorite. I had nothing but trouble though with the 125's I had over the years be careful of the glow plug threads in a 1.25 they strip out pretty easily. The Saito 1.80's (30cc) I owned ran beautifully right out of the box!!!

bob8619

I'm still waiting for my cylinder to be returned with the repaired glow plug threads. Hopefully It'll be here the beginning part of next week. Still can't believe I cross threaded it.....

funcars

I noticed when I used my Dubro glo plug wrench that it was not fitting onto the glo plug head securely on my SAITO 125. When installing the plug, it's shoulders were rubbing too tightly against the cooling fins causing the plug to go in slanted. Luckily I noticed it right away otherwise I too would have probably cross threaded the plug. The wrench shoulder is very thick so I was able to dremel it down to the point that it fit properly into the glow plug slot and now I can remove/install without any issues. However when I used this same wrench on a Saito 56 there was all kinds of room around the driver end and it never presented an issue. It sure did on the 125. So beware.

Best,

Gary A

funcars

I'm still looking for any flying advice for the ac. Take off's, landings, did you use the recommended throws etc etc?

Also any good videos? bob8619 already provided a link to one of the best I've seen so far but with so much interest in this ac surely there are more video's out there?

Best,

Gary A

bob8619

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fyaLnjEAG4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALHbwNPN-XM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qf818VdYF8 Thats all I've seen posted lately

funcars

Many thanks bob8616. All these videos are helpful.

I've just finished the C.G process and had to add about 8 oz's in total to the front end. As mentioned I already relocated the battery to the top of the engine box to help in minimizing teh amount of weight I had to add overall to get teh proper c.g.

I also added a muffler right angle adaptor and a Tru Turn spinner and adaptor which all helped me reduce the amount of up front weight needed to balance this aircraft.

I hope to have it ini the air by next weekend pending weather.


Gary A

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Well am ready to mount the engine ( Magnum 120 4 stroke) and i can't find the pattern plate that came with the model...I did have it,but I can't find it now,so if anyone that is building this plane,could you take some measurements of it and send me a copy of it...Need to know where to put the alum motor mounts...I know the engine is off set,but I don't know how far it is suppose to be...Any help on this,would be appreciated....Thanx

bob8619

Jimmy, I didn't see that someone had posted on this so if you still need the measurements let me know and I'll measure it.

bob8619

Got her all buttoned up again and went flying today. After getting it trimmed out it flies GREAT! When landing I had to keep full up elevator otherwise the plane would nose plant, I'm guessing this is from the flaps? I have never had a plane with flaps before so I dont know if thats for sure to blame or if something else is going on with it. I love this plane. We brought the wrong camera out with us today so the footage is a little rough but I put together a little montage of the plane which I will post here a few.

bob8619

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-xUAVgUD4w&feature=c4-overview&list=UUuO0fF17BOJHXI5it_rOPLA

SkyPilot101

Thanks for the vid bob, looks like she does pretty good!

funcars

Congrats Bob.....great looking plane. You can't beat that sound of a large 4 cycle. I'm waiting to fly mine so hopefully in the next few days I'll also experience that feeling.

Any advice on first flights? Did you find the reason why you had to add so much up elevator on landing?

Gary A

bob8619

I am thinking that if it can't be caused by flaps being down then its probably due to my landing gear. I have the eflite retracts without the Thunderbolt struts, they are proving to be very flimsy because even on a nice landing they end up getting bent backwards, far enough backwards that I have to bend them back each time in order to get them to retract into the wheel wells. Anyway, I think when they bend it is throwing the balance off and it becomes nose heavy and causes it to nose over OR when it bends its causing one or both of the tires to rub against the wire struts, causing a slamming on the brakes type of effect.

funcars

My Eflite retracts and struts are on order so in the meantime I'll be flying with the supplied deployed landing gear. Not pretty but it will at least get me in the air.

I hope you are able to determine reason for the nose overs. Please let us know as this is the same landing gear set-up that I'll be using.

Again thanks,

Gary A

bob8619

I will let you know what I figure out with it.