ponderosa

I have a Saito 45 Mark II from somewhere in the 80's or early 90's and remember reading in those days that cutting the right angle bend off the intake (before it gets to the spray bar area) will give more power. Does anyone have any information about this pro or con? I called Horizon Hobby but their tech said there is no information on that engine in their data base. Out of production and to old.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

I have a couple of them, and both have the chokes cut off...have not run them yet. (they need bearings )
The guy who sold 'em to me said "with an electric starter, you don't need the choke"
He didn't tach them, but his guess was that they picked-up maybe a couple hundred r.p.m.?

A few of the older guys in our club said it was not uncommon (at least among them ) to get rid of the Saito choke...thinking they would pick up some power in return.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Most of the old 45's I've seen had the intake elbow cut off at a 45 degree angle. I always assumed this was so you could place the back of the intake against the firewall and the engine could still get air.

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Yeah...both of mine are cut off at a 45 degree angle.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

There would be no reason for an increase in rpm to occur by slicing the velocity stack at an angle, it's very flow oriented the way it is. I did as Jim said, so air could flow when up against the firewall. On the right you can see that I almost over did it, but it runs great having spent many hours on a RCM 40 which will surprise most folks at how well it powers the RCM. The one one the left is its big brother the .45.

donkey doctor

Hello The Saito 45 mk 11 is a wonderful engine, I have much history with it, hundreds of gallons. In the pictures, the one with the red ribbon around it, is the worlds most used Saito 45. I swapped it for a Webra 40 in '92, replaced the piston and barrel, and ran it on our club trainer for 8 years. I put an "S" camshaft in it, and kept up with wear and broken parts, of which there were plenty since everyone around here crashed it again and again. I tired of replacing the back cover that holds the carb on, so I made a stainless angle piece to hold the carb. Wonderful engine, my favorite by far.