hgiles

My Feedback: (4)

I have my Saito 56 mounted on a bench for break in and can't get it running. I got two tubes coming out of the fuel tank and think I know where they go. Vent to exhaust vent, fuel pickup to carb. Had that wrong for the longest time where I had the crankcase vent going to exhaust vent. Never got the engine running though, so I don't think I caused any problems.

i have the high speed needle 2.5 turns out per Saito instructions and haven't touched the low speed needle. Cranking it but it won't start. How do I tell if I got spark? Plug seems a bit warm when I remove the ignitor, so I think I am okay here too... Been checking and careful of hydro lock...

Also the fuel tubing doesn't seem to fit well as I got leaks into the carb. What gives? Is there a clamp or something I am missing? Where do I get some decent tubing? The one piece that came with the H9 plane (fuel tank) isn't enough obviously. None came with the engine...

Which is WOT and which is idle? I can't tell whether turning the lever clockwise (IN) is WOT or idle? I can't see a butterfly valve in the carburetor... I should make my attempts to start somwehre in the middle correct?

This is getting frustrating in a hurry. Every step I take I run into something new I got to run out and buy -- slowing down my progress. This was supposed to be a 20 hour ARF. It's turning into a 20 day ordeal...

Right now I would like to get the engine running and broken in. Any advice? Ideas? Tips to avoid any future frustrations/setbacks? Thanks

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

If the fuel tubing is sucking air, you can try using a wire (Plastic bag tie without the paper wrapper) to tighten it. More fuel tubing of the right size can be gotten at the hobby shop.

Turn the engine upside down and look in the carb. That's where you can see if the carb is open or closed.

It should only be about 1/4 open for starting.

You can remove the glow plug and put your battery on it to see if you have glow. It should glow like the cigarette lighter in a car (Not spark)

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

Your best bet is to get someone with experience to help you. You can't beat having someone there to show you exactly what does what and how to go about doing it. If you don't belong to a club, then that would be a excellent start. As well as joining the AMA for the insurance.
Back to your engine, what brand and type of glow plug are you using? Most four strokes tend to like the OS four stroke plug. Also, check your fuel. If it's old or been left open, it will absorb water from the air and go bad. Get some new fuel tubing from a hobby shop and replace the old line with the new. And are the lines hooked up right in the fuel tank? Make sure the line with the clunk is the line going to the carb. It's easy to forget which line is which once you put the stopper on the fuel tank.

Jesse

hgiles

My Feedback: (4)

LHS is about how the GSP staff is described. His knowledge doesn't extend past OFF ROAD TRUCKS. I had a problem with him when he couldn't acquire an H9 cub that he assured me would be in his shop in 4 days. He didn't mind taking my money and seemed peeved at me when I checked by the shop asking about my plane only to hear him say it'll be here for sure tomorrow -- that is on the days he even opened the shop! This went on a for a month and wasted a lot of my time. I was nice about it the whole time yet he was PO'd when I finally just asked for my money back. I try to avoid Stampy's now if I can. I can certainly understand having personal support in getting started in this hobby but Stampy 'aint it! I digress.

Don't know where else to go with this Saito. All research on here suggests it's the engine to buy, but I can't imagine anything being any worse to get running.

Anyway, I replaced the McCoy plug with a Saito #F and didn't help the situation. Got the hrottle all over the place trying to get it running. Same with the mixture setting. Brand new jug of Byron 15% Nitro -- about 8oz ($1) on the basement floor, apparently running out the bottom of the carb. I guess this is normal? I don't know what would keep fuel from running out the bottom of an open ended carburetor do you? I had the engine mounted where the mount was underneath the engine so I didn't see the bottom end of the carb before. It's definitely open...


No local hobbyists in my area of Charlottesville Va, that I know of... Any ideas on what to try next??

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Heywood,

There's a club about 15 miles from you. They are:

RIVANNA RC INC
Contact person:

JOHN C WHITE
16 MULLIGAN DR
PALMYRA VA 22963
434-589-9005
[email protected]

I would suggest you contact them and go out and meet them. There's nothing like hands on experience.

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

Can you post a picture of your setup? There could be so many things that affect the engine.
Maybe your fuel tank is not at the correct location. The tubes coming out of the tank should be about level with the centerline of the carb. If there was that much fuel on the floor, then it sounds like it is siphoning fuel even if you aren't cranking the engine. All around, it sound like the engine is getting enough, (too much?), fuel but not enough plug heat. Check the battery on the glow ignitor. The plug needs a full 1.2 or more volts. A weak battery will not heat up the plug enough to get a new engine started. If all else fails, you may want to consider sending the engine back for service.

Jesse

TheAviator

Did you ever find out why your Saito spews fuel from the carberator? My .82 does the same thing, and I'm worried about the firewall integrity being comprimised. It just kind of spits, and by the end of a flight it's got the open carb side of the plane drenched with fuel.

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

[link]http://saito-engines.info/index.html[/link]

Try this site. It's very helpfull.

I've recently bought two Saito .56's. Both of them started right up on the bench. Are you priming as per Saito instructions? Full open, finger over muffler, and flip thru untill you see fuel go up to the carb. I ran mine with H.S. needle open 3+ turns. You really want them running so rich at first that you can't remove the glo ignitor. And try to keep the rpm's low, at least for the first tank or two. Theyu really don't start getting broken in untill you get a gallon or so of fuel thru them. Easiest thing is to try and run them WFO so rich they won't run very fast. Should be making huge cloud of smoke and spitting fuel/oil out everywhere. Especially thru the vent line on the bottom of the engine.

The fuel siphoning thru the carb is norm, only real fix in airplane is to make sure throttle is closed all the way when shutting down. Just be sure after fueling to turn engine thru a couple turns by hand to ensure it's not hydro locked. I have one engine mounted in plane with fuel tank about 1" above centerline of carb, and it runs fine. Other plane has "t" fitting in fuel line to fuel and it drips fuel out the carb all the time. Both are inverted. I look at it as self priming instillation. BTW, I don't run on board glow with either one and they idle fine, using OS type "F" plug. They're $7 each but worth every penny.

Andy

mblue2050

My Feedback: (6)

My experience with my first 4 stroke. Saito 72. Cranked ok with the high speed needle set rich. Had about 1/4 throttle and was using an electric starter.

Never would idle. Factory tells you low speed needle flush with with the throttle arm. Not mine, about 8 turns in. Started adjusting with it closed then opened until I got a nice idle.

As for leaking. I will not buy another Saito. Mine spits fuel out everywhere. I think the cooling fins leak.

As others have mentioned. Get someone to help you with the initial set-up and starting. I also wonder if you have the wrong size fuel lines. Should not be loose, clamps are a great idea but they are not; or should not; be a must. Line should be a tight fit over the nipples. I bought the wrong size once, it fit, but not tightly. Clamps to make sure they stay in place and a little insurance against drawing air into the fuel line. A killer. I always use a clear line between the needle and the carb so I can see bubbles or fuel easily. Easy for my eyes

hgiles

My Feedback: (4)

Oh, my Saito works fine now. I broke it in real slow and methodical. The fule coming out of the bowl minimized once I got both needles set. Don't try to set the low needle until the negine is broken in with at least half gallon through it. At least that is what I did. Now mine idles at about 1500 if I want it to.

Great engine. I see no reason to try anything else, except unless it is much cheaper in price...

Ed_Moorman

My Feedback: (1)

Haywood,

Glad you broke yours in nice and slow. I just did a Saito .56 this weekend. As the instructions said, I didn't touch the low end. I twirled the top open 6 or 7 turns and fired it up. I throttled back to 4000 and ran for two 5-minute runs with the battery still attached. (Of course it's not going to keep running set that rich with high oil fuel.) Then I opened it up and ran several tanks, leaning each run.

I had mixed up a half gallon of break-in fuel with 24% oil by adding castor to stock 10%. After running this through it, she runs great, just the way you said yours did. Next, it'll go in my Big Stick 40 break-in plane for some air time after I pull the Magnum .70 that's presently in it.

It is my feeling that to many people rush the break-in and then complain about the engine. During break-in the engine slobbers and dumps oil out the crank vent line, but after the ring seats, this just about quits. Ringed 4-strokes just need a good 45 minutes of very rich running, then another couple of gallons to really smooth up. Most people just don't want to do this.