After a crazy day, and while being pestered by my son to get that new first 4s running, I made a boo boo.
I misread the directions from the factory regarding break-in needle valve setting on my Saito 100. I set it as per instructions, just that I set it for the 91 not 100. I ran 1&1/2 250cc tanks if 15% nitro 20% oil cool burning 4s fuel through it. I had the needle valve set at 2 n 1/2 turns out instead of the 5 recommended. I did the pinch test, ok, and the motor was putting out a goo smoke cloud. The motor did not get very hot, and I let it cool between runs.
Do you think that this has caused any damage?


DOOOOHHHH!!!!

If you have good compression and a good smoke trail was coming out as you said you should be ok..........oil is the main thing....

Your engine will be fine, I have ten Saitos and have never broken one in sloppy rich, just slightly which it sounds like yours was. If you kept it to 4,000 for ten minutes or so, this is the most important part. I also break them in in one run and let the flying do the heating and cooling. 5 turns out is way too rich in my book.
Mine and some other folks engines all turned out great.

If it were too lean, the engine would have let you know, ie: quit running. As long as your smoke was good and it didn't lose rpm you should be fine.

Thanks guys, I knew it was still runnning pretty rich. I was just afraid it HAD to be sloppy rich.

If you run it sloppy rich it just simply won't get warm enough to break in, same applies to ABC engine et al.

The reason for a rich run on a ringed engine like the Saito is to allow the piston ring to seat to the cylinder wall without risking metal to metal contact. Heat has nothing to do with it. Proper temperature is needed on ringless ABC engines, even during break-in, to allow the tapered cylinder bore to grow properly and avoid a lean seize.

Rein

Since you did the pinch test indicating the engine speed up somewhat, you were not too lean and shouldn't have a problem with the engine. Run it some more, slightly richer for a tank or so then double check all screws and check valve lash clearances.

I have heard that the valves should be cheaked, but am not sure how to do it. Do I get the feeler gauge from the auto parts store? How do you make the actual adjustments?

the little feeler gage is in your kit with engine(normally)then follow instructions in your manual- if all else fails search rcu for saito valve specs you are sure to find.

Did your engne sieze?? Did you smell that smell? I think the 5 turns out is a good starting point for getting your engine started.
If not you should be ok.

Jimmy