I have a Saito 56 that has been running well for about a year now, idle around 2100 rpm and peak just under 10,000rpm with an APC 12x6 prop.

Generally I have always started with an electric starter but last week I arrived at the field with a flat starter battery and had to hand flip. After priming by opening the throttle full and blocking the exhaust and then rotating 3 full turns on the prop (I can see fuel being drawn into the carb), attaching the glow starter and trying to flip - nothing. Not even a bump.

I then had the idea to connect my electric starter to my car battery and after 3-4 seconds the engine fired and ran great the whole day.

Yesterday I did not have my starter with me (think the brushes are stuck - another story[&o]) I again could not get the engine to start. After 30 min or so of priming flipping, removeing the glow plug to check if it was flooded etc. I eventually use a syringe to drip about 10 drops of fuel into the cylinder barrel through the glow plug hole. The engine fired on the first flip but died after a second or two, then would not restart. Again I added fuel to the barrel through the glow plug opening - 15 drops this time, the engine fired first flip and stayed running. I did not have to even adjust the HS needle for local conditions all was in order and I flew for 10 min and landed.

I let the engine cool down, refueled and the engine restarted on the first flip again.

Any one have any ideas why the engine struggles to fire on the first stat of the day? Fuel is definitely in the crankcase as fuel drips out the crank case vent when I flip the prop but it is not passing into the barrel.

Note - I do not normally use after run oil.

One possibiliy is that the LS needle is a little too lean, or you're not priming it enough, Saitos like to start wet. Do you have the throttle at about 1/4 open?

Old Fuel ?

Ray

G'day. I'm with Hobbsy. I have a 56 in an old Kadet Senior and I use it to teach people to fly. Sometimes it sits for a few weeks between outings and the first start can sometimes be a bit difficult. As Dave said, they need to be "wet" and some times the "finger on the exhaust" trick does not quite get the amount of prime needed in there.

The other problem can be fuel residue partially blocking the carby. If I have had the engine sitting for a while, I use an old squash bottle to blast a little fuel through the carby. This primes the engine and cleans out any muck unless you really do have a real blockage in which case it is worth removing the needle and blowing fuel through the spray bar from both directions.

Once they are wet, the smaller Saitos are easy to hand start. Unless, of course, you manage to drown them. And that is another story.

Another trick that works well for an engine that just won't start because it is too dry is to turn it over with an electric starter and very briefly block the exhaust with your hand (but not if it is HOT). This really blasts fuel through the carby and usually results in an instant start. The "very brief" is only a fraction of a second. Too much and you can easily drown the engine and do damage so go easily with this one.

The fuel is new - less that 1month. Interesting the correlation may be the same a using this bottle of fuel - it is also a different brand from that which I normally use. Mmmmmm.

How wet is wet? Normally block off exhaust and rotate until fuel enters the carb plus 2-3 turns. Fuel drips out of the exhaust after this.

But after dripping fuel irecly into the barrel - first touch and it spins.

Another question of a general 4/ nature. How does lubrication get to the crank case? Fuel oil mixture enters via the inlet manifold - does it then pass the rings to get to the crankcase or is ported in some manner - just wondering.

I need 1/4 throttle like Dave suggests.

Blowby past the piston and it is more than adequate, If you ever pull the backplate off the engine immediately after a run you'll find about a tablespoon in there on a larger engine and about a teaspoon on the smaller ones.