Since most engines supposidly come with the needles set from the factory, I often try to start new engines as they come.

I did this with my Saito 1.00.

I ran a few tanks through it, and began to slowly lean out the high end just a bit after every tank full.

After about six tank fulls ( 2 flights ) I had the high end set pretty well.

The low end was giving me NO problems, except I couldn't get the engine to idle slowly, with reliability.

I kept cranking the low speed needle in about 1/8th of a turn at a time...

Still the problem continued.

One person familiar with Saito's told me... "No, just keep cranking the LS needle in, until you can't even get a fast idle, then back it out."

So I did, ELEVEN ADDITIONAL TURNS!

This engine is SO tolerant of rich tuning that it will run slobberingly rich without fail ( except for the low idle ) and without cutting out.

After I found the LS setting a bit of additional tweaking made it run reliably ( but not too lean ), and now it sips fuel.

Along the way all my misfiring and backfiring stopped as well.