mike109

G'day I agree with Xjet - so long as you have compression, some fuel, some air and glow the engine should start. I started my Saito 100 yesterday after it had been sitting for about three months. It started (using an electric starter) within a couple of prop rotations and settled into a happy idle straight away. It is a nearly new engine and as about half an hour's running. This is my starting proceedure -

1. Check the tightness of the prop if the engine has not been run for a few weeks. If you ever hear a loud CLICK whch you are trying to start the engine and it has backfired, the prop is probably loose. DANGEROUS! Very common with plastic backed spinners which compress with time.

2. Fill the tank. I use a commercial fuel containing 10% nitro, 15% synthetic, 5% castor and the rest methanol. When I am filling the tank, I disconnect the pressure line from the muffler and when fuel pumps out of it, I switch off the pump and briefly reverse it to pump fuel back down the fuel tube to empty it.

3. Reconnect the pressure line.

4. Put a finger over the end of the muffler (don't do this if it is hot!) and turn the prop by hand anti clockwise until you can see fuel pumped up to the carby through the fuel tube. Usually takes 3 or 4 turns. An alternative is to gently blow on the end of the muffler which will also blow fuel to the carby from the pressure in the tank. The prop method is safer. DO NOT connect the glow driver at this stage.

5. With the plane secure so it can't move once it starts - connect the glow driver.

6. If I don't have an electric starter, I use a chicken stick for the next step. If you do have an electric starter, go to step 8. This assumes that you have set the prop so that when cranked anti clockwise (normal running direction, the prop is in the quarter to three position when the engine first comes onto compression.

7. Turn the prop clockwise until it is just "on compression". Use the chicken stick to do this. Now use the chicken stick to smartly rotate the prop further clockwise against the compression. If the engine is wet enough, it should fire and cause the prop to go anticlockwise and start. Repeat until started. For this to work, there must be an air/fuel mixture in the cylinder to allow the engine to fire. Not enough fuel and the engine will not fire. Too much and it may be damaged as fuel will not compress.

8. The better safer option is to use an electric starter. Rotate the prop clockwise until it comes "on compression". CONNECT THE GLOW DRIVER. Fit the starter to the engine then engage it. The engine should start. If it does not repeat the process of this step. If it still does not start, it may simply not yet have fuel at the carby or your glow driver may be not working properly. I find that a pack of 3 or 4 sub-C nicad cells wired in parallel works extremely well as a glow driver. Use as short cable is you can get away with but watch out for the prop. If you try to turn the engine with the starter and the starter simply skids on the prop or spinner, there may be too much fuel in the cylinder (flooded). If this is the case, disconnect the glow driver and see if you can turn the engine over. Don't force it. If the engine will not turn over by hand, you may have to remove the plug and blow the excess fuel out by turning the engine over with the starter.

The engine you have is a really excellent engine but it is more complex to use than a two stroke and will need more maintenance. But do not go in boots and all and adjust everything and dismantle things unless it is really necessary. The factory settings should be good enough to get it started and some adjustment to the high speed needle will be necessary once it has had a few minutes running. Don't try to get every last rev out of it. I run my engines between a quarter turn and even half a turn rich from their best running setting. This makes them last longer and I don't get "dead sticks". Leaves a nice smoke trail too. I usually leave the low speed setting alone until the engine has about half an hour's running. I then usually find that a little adjustment (about 1/8 of a turn at a time) will eventually lead to a good idle. A simple rule of thumb for the low speed needle is to have the engine idling then pinch the fuel line so that the engine stops. As it stops, it should increase its revs slightly before stopping. It it just stops, it is probably too lean (screw the low speed needle out a little) - if it revs up a lot, it is probably too rich (screw the low speed needle in a bit). Do this in small changes and let the engine settle between tries or better still, fly it between tries until you become comfortable with what you are doing. But don't do any of this until you can get it started easily on the factory settings.

Hope his helps a bit.