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Do you really need the "muffler " ? I have used straight pipes with home made , 45° and 90° elbows for such installations that worked well. Light and compact.
Last edited by Jesse Open; 02-14-2019 at 08:46 AM.

It was 14.00 and seems OK. No don’t need the muffler. And I havd to use the original pipe to mount this one. Now I have the other end to make something out of. I can weld up something cool .


New Saito FA82 mounted -45° in Phoenix 46-55 size Sbach 342. Remote glow adaptor is on this side too although hard to see. The other side of the cowl is clean. There is a dupron plug over the cowl inlet opening on one side and a dupron angled baffle from the top of the cowl inlet to the top of the cylinder on the other. Should be a hoot.
Sorry for the crappy cellphone pic.
Lonnie
Last edited by Glowgeek; 02-14-2019 at 11:19 AM.

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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Colonial Beach, VA
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Nice set ups, thanks for the pictures.
I received a nice Valentines Day gift in the mail today. I can no longer say that I've never owned a Saito 180, it sure has some serious compression. That's a very good sign, it has an A on the right so, it's either a first run or second run if the first did not have an initial. Mighty happy. The bearings are really smooth. Thank you good friend.

My Feedback: (12)

In regards to the black plastic back plates some of the Saitos have. Is it necessary to replace them with metal ones? I don’t really understand to problems they create.

Note: The plastic back plates did not utilize a gasket and are more shallow than the metal ones. The metal ones require the use of a gasket or they will crash into the crank pin, at least that is the case with my 82.
Last edited by Glowgeek; 02-14-2019 at 07:16 PM.

My Feedback: (12)

My preowned 82 had a plastic backplate, I replaced it with the metal one used on later releases. The first releases with thinner plastic back plates were reported to crack easily when screws were tightened and also warp from heat. The warping allowed the intake tube to pull away from the intake port and cause leaking in some cases. Saito did produce a thicker tougher plastic backplate to address problems with the earlier thinner ones but eventually discontinued them and went to the metal ones.
Note: The plastic back plates did not utilize a gasket and are more shallow than the metal ones. The metal ones require the use of a gasket or they will crash into the crank pin, at least that is the case with my 82.
Note: The plastic back plates did not utilize a gasket and are more shallow than the metal ones. The metal ones require the use of a gasket or they will crash into the crank pin, at least that is the case with my 82.
So do the later, thicker plastic back plates still have the warping problem then?

BTW, only aftermarket engine gasket sets are available for the 82. If swapping to a metal backplate you can make your own back plate gasket as I did, just make sure the gasket material is .007"-.009" thick.
Lonnie
Last edited by Glowgeek; 02-14-2019 at 08:03 PM.


Nice looking planes and saito engine installs lonnie and racer,look fast standing still.Gary nice rounded inner shoulder on your 90 degree exhaust adapter,it's a common shear point on acc one's when people over tighten them.Nice score on the fa180 dave,please don't paint the seal green

Lonnie good run down on the plastic back plates re fa82's,i think more fa72 owners had problems.I have two old fa82 with plastic back plates and no problems,one new 'low profile cam housing' fa82 which comes with the new back plate.Playboy glossy mag covers make great gaskets.
Last edited by Rudolph Hart; 02-15-2019 at 01:53 AM. Reason: Bill Bryson


(Internet photo of an 82 Honda CB900f Super Sport). My first and only road bike that I bought in a crate in 86. Rode it everywhere for five years, rain or shine. I wasn't afraid to die when I sold it, I just wasn't ready to die. That elderly lady was looking right at me when she suddenly pulled out. I decided to buy into 4 wheels and more metal as idiot insurance.
I've had quite a few dirt bikes over the years. Still riding my old 01 Honda XR250R around the farm here.
Last edited by Glowgeek; 02-15-2019 at 03:51 AM.



After owning 75 plus Britbikes and 25 Italian bikes, riding several hundred thousand miles, year round as primary transport; seen those little old ladies a few hundred times. And far worse!
As a volunteer fireman got to see a few riders who were unprepared in those situations. Idiots drive cars and truck, that is for certain.!
Mans got to know his limitations, Clint got that right.
My fireman uncle who didn't like my little MG Midget once quipped "I've pulled dead people out of those little cars" I responded that he had pulled dead people out of houses too, but he still lived in one.
Good to have the option to choose for ourselves.
Dave up until last month I had two FA-180s. I had one in a Rascal 110 the one I gave away had been in my Pica 1/5 kit built WACO. It was a bit much, that WACO now sports a FA-120. The 180 is a real powerhouse. The Rascal also had a 180 but I just installed the very early model FA-150 on that plane. Thinking about putting the FA180 on the Great Planes Super Chipmunk instead. BTW, they sound great with the straight pipe from a Satto 450 radial. Need an adapter bushing to make that work. I can send you a pipe and the adapter. The salt shaker muffler sounds good too.
The plastic back plates have several shortcomings.Plastic always compresses and the screws may tend to make themselves loose in time.
In the case of the .82, hard running with two piece mounts can lead to case distortion across the mounting beams and the rear opening as a result often winds up out of round. Seen quite a few where the new aluminum plate would not go in directly until the tight spots were relieved. Not always a problem but it certainly shows up often. I have 4 FA-82 . Two have the original plastic but I had to replace the plates on the other two. In addition I have done at least a dozen for other locals who had problems with the plastics.
Last edited by Jesse Open; 02-15-2019 at 04:26 AM.

I got a new rod for my FA65 and gaskets. The rod is different than the original and has a definite front and back. Just to clarify what direction does the dot on the con rod face? I did a search and got both directions as an answer.

My Feedback: (12)

I have a NIB 82b coming. In addition to the metal rear cover, I really like the look of the redesigned case.

Horizon finally got their backorder shipment in so the con rod for my 82a should be here early next week. I'll post an update on that one later.