I have a new Saito .72 that has been broken in and seems to run well until... I idle down and then it quits. I have tried adjusting the low end needle starting at the factory setting of open 5 turns but don't seem to be able to make it idle worth a darn. I also put a new OS 4 Stroke plug in it, changed fuel (Omega Cool Power 4 Stroke fuel) but nothing seems to help.

Any ideas? I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Thanks,

Assuming it doesn't just need a little more throttle opening. The guys at Saito repair told be to start with the idle screw on my 91 even with the face of the throttle arm. That turned out to be pretty close. The 5 turns sounds like the high speed mixture. Adjust the idle screw for good throttle response.

Pilot_Error,

I think you are right. 5 turns is way to rich and it just bogged down with that setting anyway. I brought it in about 2 turns and it started running fine except when I brought it down to idle. Maybe I'm just expecting it to idle slower that it can and I have the idle screw to low. But dang if it doesn't produce too much thrust at idle!

I had the same problem until the motor was well broken in. With mixtures adjusted, etc. it will settle down to a very nice idle.

Just give it some more breakin time.

I had one on my Ultra Stick. After four breakin tanks it was giving me nice power at the top, but I had to run the idle moderately high. It also had a tendency to load up and sputter/die when run at low throttle settings - which it did one windy day while I was way upwind. I misjudged my landing approach, and broke my wing/fuselage/landing gear/motor mount. Oops!

Didn't hurt the engine, though. I put four more breakin tanks through it on the stand, and leaned the idle needle. It seems fine.

My replacement Ultra Stick has arrived and is in the building queue. As soon as I finish fixing the crappy wing aileron mounts in my buddy's GiantScalePlanes P-47 (unpainted white plastic ABS covers, screwed into 1/16" balsa sheeting. Arghghghghg!) and repair my Durastik (battle-scarred combat plane), it will fly again.

My 72 was the same it just took a while to get broke in good, now it will idle so low that I had to reset my throttle cut on my 8U to get it to shut off. Great engine

fossil

I appreciate all of your posted comments and those of you who emailed me. I'm going to be patient and give it more time and I'm sure it will settle down into a nice idle. Always great to get advice from this community.

By the way... the Saito is mounted on the plane in my picture/avatar.

Thanks!

My .72 is great. I've run 7, 10 ounce tanks of Performance Plus 15% with 20% oil and it idles just fine. I have it in my Right Flyer 40 (just for break-in) but I would like to get it flying with the .72. I've never flown an overpowered trainer... Also got a 40 size stick that barely torque-rolls with my magnum paperweight .46...