Ok try not to laugh to hard I have a saito 91 and this would be my first 4 stroke. There's a little plug in the back call the breather nipple! Now should this thing be connected to anything? What is a breather nipple for?

The breather nipple's main purpose is to let the crankcase breath. A small amount of oil is forced by the pushrods and the piston on each stroke and into the lower crankcase. I have put an empty small tank on a 1.20 4 stroke and, after the flight was over, had about two to three ounces of oil in the tank. Do not restrict this nipple. It is also the best place to inject your after run oil at the end of the day. Inject about a teaspoon full at the end of the flying session and hold the prop shaft down and rotate the engine to get a good dispersion of the after run oil around the thrust bearing. It is sometimes hard to get the oil in but; if you connect a squeeze bottle to the nipple and (with the nipple higher than the rest of the engine), turn the engine over while connected to the squeeze bottle and you can suck some in. Now, it will also spit out and all over everything when you turn the engine over with the nipple positioned low so put a paper towel or rag over the nipple while stored or when you are turning the engine over by hand. When flying, it is a good idea to have a short piece of fuel line connected to this and exiting the fuse in a convenient place to keep from spraying oil into the engine bay.

Thank you Rodney. Strange how the manuel doesn't mention anything about it.

Depending on the type of airplane, if it is a cowled (scale) engine installation, to avoid the mess inside and to avoid oil dripping all over the house when moving or storing the airplane, insert a piece of large silicone fuel tubing, going from the crankcase nipple to a piece of brass tubing, which can be attached (strap and screws) to the firewall and protruding about 1/2 inch from the belly of the airplane, this way all the goo will be vented out, and if you like you can also have a syringe with after run oil lubricate the engine as mentioned above, by using a large silicone tube, there's no restriction to the crankcase when expelling the used up oil. It sures beats the mess 4 strokes create when operating.

Its a pain to start a four strocke. I've tried everything possible it seems to get this thing to start. The only way I can start my engine right now is to add a few drop of fuel to the header. Is this the case with most 4 stockes, in that you have to have a starter? Or is it a bad case of newbie mistakes?

What are the steps you're taking to start it?

Mike,


I first plug the exhaust and then give it five or six turns counter clockwise. Then put in the glow starter and flip until it starts but it never does.
So, I plug up the exhaust(with out the glow starter) and start over again and it just wont start. Then I have to take out the glow plug and add a few drops and bingo. What am I doing wrong? Is there a choke on the satio 91? Thanks for any help

Hello handysmurf, Here is a thread about after run oil, and I had post #7 on it.........
http://rcuniverse.com/showthread.php...hlight=lownslo
I might add that since that post I have been using a syringe with 1/8" brass tube on the end, and use it the same as the eye dropper. ALSO..... I saw somewhere, (?), to minimize the length of that tubing from the breather nipple. Something to do with restricting the air flow from the crankcase. I just made mine a short as possible, and still be able to insert the syringe/oil at the bottom of my Spacewalker cowl. I also have a .91 Saito in it. I will read your starting problems again and see if I can help.... lownslo

Hi Handysmurf, I read more closly and I see you are flip starting. I cheat and use a starter so I don't know if I can add anything that will help. I am assuming this is a new engine??? Or?? My new Saito's procedure is followed almost by "the book". I start it with the high speed needle valve 4 1/5 to 5 turns out from closed. I won't go into the procedure of leaning out on sucessive runs.... just try to follow the manual, (if it is new and you have one). Check the low speed idle screw on the throttle arm. (brass screw in center). My manual says "as a beginning point" have the FLAT FACE of this screw flush with the surface of the throttle arm. I would say to put it flush as you can then turn it in 1/4 turn. You won't be messing with this anymore... till you finish the high speed setting and it is pretty well run in. A HINT my LHS and others have told me. I put an old white towel under that BREATHER TUBE you were asking about. You will notice that the oil dripping out at the first run is gray. That is metal residue from the new engine. After the engine is run several times, at a total of about 45 minutes to 1 hour, this oil should be fairly clear now. (no more metal rubbing off). You should be able to go onto the low speed idle now. A VERY IMPORTANT SETTING. No matter if your engine is new or not... you should read this post on setting a carb. It is very good !!!
http://www.********.net/forums/showt...=&threadid=454
I have 3 Saitos and just love them. Like I said, I do use a starter. My average setting on the HIGH speed needle valve, AFTER BREAK IN, goes from 2 1/2 +, to about 3 turns out from closed. I like to run mine a little rich. I know I could close it a little more, but I like the smoke trail

PS. Do you have a tach?? If you don't, I highly reccomend you buy or borrow one. I have a .56 Saito that I did not have to touch the low speed adjustment since its maiden flight last spring. (and very little messing with the high speed setting!!!)
GOOD LUCK..lownslo

Lown are you sure it said to turn it 4 to 5 out on the high speed needle value for a rich setting starting out? I thought the book said to set it at 2 and 1/2 for a rich setting. I will check again to make sure though. I have a feeling that I will have to carry extra weight to the feild now to get it started but man do I love this engine. I have a 14X6 prop on the thing and it pulls my sig 4* 60 off the ground like a rocket. Thanks for the help

handysmurf
I start my Saito and O.S. four strokes using the same procedure as you mentioned.

With the glow driver disconnected and the throttle open I plug the exhaust and turn the engine clockwise four to five turns (until when turned counter clockwise the engine sound very wet) then with the driver connected and throttle at idle using only my fingers turn the spinner back wards against the compression
(snapping motion starting about 1/2 turn off the compression) this results in the engine back firing and going very rapidly through the compression in the foreword direction.

Both engines start the first time in most instances.

Hello again handysmurf, I was assuming that you had not broken in the engine.........sorry if I confused you. Evidently you have it broken in. If you will please re-read my last post you will notice that I mentioned the 2 1/2 turns out as the average for my engines. I actually run them up to 3 turns out sometimes...... (2 1/2 being the most lean I have ever run my engines). A 14-6 prop is a very good choice. I know all too well about that.... "draggin' more STUFF"syndrome!!! I have a new 150 Saito that needs to be broke in. It is going in a 4* 120. A guy at our club gave me a 26 amp emergency light battery for free. Man...... is that thing heavy.
I would love to learn how to flip start my engines. I am going to work on that this summer.

PS. Did you get a chance to read that carb setting site I posted?? I have that site bookmarked and have referred to it several times and also passed it along to others. Not only is this guy good with engines.... he is quite a pilot too!!!
...lownslo...

Dang Newbie (me)

My engine starts on the first flip now!

I borrow an electric starter from another flier at the feild and after my third run I have had no problems starting it on the first flip. Turns out you have to break in the engine first. "I might not be a smart man, but I know what love is." hehehe Thanks for the help guys.