45
I just finished rebuilding a Saito 45 Special. It’s all cleaned up and has new bearings. It is significantly different from the standard FA45. The intake manifold is larger and so is the carb. I think but I am not sure the carb is the same as the 50/56. I always thought that the only difference in the 45 Special was the cam and the rest was the same as a standard FA45…. I was not correct.
I did modify a FA45 with a 50 cam and cam box. You also have to change the pushrods and pushrod tubes. This only gave me an additional 300 RPM over when it was a stock FA45. I have been flying this engine this way for a long time so I am very interested in seeing how much difference there is running the 45 Special.
Since it is raining here and I was working on Saito 45 engines I decided to open up two FA45 engines I had in the cabinet. This was interesting seeing the differences.
FA45 one
Socket head cap screws on valve covers
Allen wrench required to set valves
Piston pin with two Teflon pads
FA45 cast on side of the case
FA45 two
Phillips head screws on valve covers
Flat screwdriver to set valves
Piston pin with only one Teflon pad required
45 stamped on the side of the case
If the rain ever quits here, I’m going to run the 45 Special and the two FA45 engines just for fun to see the difference. I do have a version of the old FA45 with the removable head but it is still new in the box and I think I will leave it that way.
Last edited by modeltronics; 05-01-2021 at 02:42 PM.