paul7194

Ok, I have been reading this thread for days and find it be be the most informative ever on Saito engines. I have been running Saito's for quit some time and love them. Currently, I have two 125's and one 56. I am slowly converting from several other 4 strokes. This thread is very fortunate to have Bill answering the many questions being posed. If I am qualified, please make me a member.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Paul:

You are more than qualified for membership, consider yourself as a member in good standing. No number yet, I'll assign you one when/as I get caught up.

Welcome.

Bill.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Garthwood

If I had it to do over again, I would buy the Harbor Freight small bearing separator....

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=7343

And also the universal 2-3 jaw conventional puller

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45977

These two will help solve all your hub removal and bearing replacement needs on model engines.

Jim

Garthwood

Jim...................thanks again. I might just do that and get those two items you've suggested.

Regards
Charles.

HarryJ

My Feedback: (98)

Does anyone make an inverted pitts style muffler for the FA 72? I have one from Slimline for my FA 100 but they don't have one listed for the 72.



Harry

Kimhoff

My Feedback: (22)

Just wanted to let everyone know what a great guy "Scratchonly" is. He had a upgrade for the 80 carb that he wanted to know if anyone wanted. I had one on BO with Horizon so I let him know I was looking for one. He dropped it in the mail and I received it today N/C. You can't beat this. Now don't go asking him for all his good stuff, I am sure he doesn't do this everyday.

whaturi

i have a saito .82 with a stripped glow plug thread. is fixing this even an option? i have jb weld and a dremel. just wanted to know if its worth it\possible or if i should just buy a new head.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Call this guy.

He will put a Heli Coil in your cylinder

Lee, Clarence F.
10112 Woodward Ave
Sunland, CA 91040-3342
(818) 353-7356

whaturi

thank you.

whaturi

well, i was stupid and went and tried to put a heli coil in myself. sure enough i messed it up and now it is tapped to an even bigger size.. M6-1. so now it seems i have to try the jb weld method or just order a new cylinder head. unless anyone here has a head they will sell.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Where'd you get a Helicoil from? The plug is 1/4-32. You would be hard pressed to find a Helicoil that size without buying a whole box of them?

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

If you are going to install a new cylinder assembly, it is a real bear to deal with getting the valve stems out of the old head. The tops are mushroomed from the rocker arms tapping on them. Also the valve keeper raises a burr around the keeper grove. It's hard to get this burr off with the valve stem still in the head. You can drive the valve stems out of the old head but you need to repair them before inserting the old valves in a new cylinder.

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

It must be very easy to strip the glow plug threads in a Saito [:@]

The exhaust is the only thing that seems to loosen up on my Saito, how hard can I tighten the exhaust into the head ? Does this strip easily ?

JettPilot

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Saito plug threads do not strip easily. Failure is from constant many times overtightening, or simply cross threading.

The two common causes of exhaust thread damage are allowing the engine to run with the exhaust pipe loose, hammering the threads, and crash damage. Otherwise no problem.

Bill.

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

I have about 10 hours on my Saito 82 already in less than a month, and it has been FLAWLESS, not a single deadstick It looks like I will be flying this engine a LOT, any idea how many hours my Saito will run before I start having wear problems ? I am able to trust this engine far out of gliding range for this plane, take a look at the following video of the Saito 82 flying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIPBThjukHQ

15 % Omega Fuel. Velocity Stack, Bru-Line filter.

JettPilot

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

What's blacked out in the upper left corner?

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Jett, two layers of Teflon plumbers taped wrapped on the pipe CW will do the trick, and don't be bashful with the wrench. Being a ham fisted farm boy from western Pa. I would have stripped a Saito plug hole long ago if they were easy.

Jimmy Hoffa

My Feedback: (3)

The exhaust cam lobe on my Saito 82 has a small amount of pitting on the valve opening side only. I'm wondering if it needs to be replaced? The intake lobe is smooth.
Phillip

whaturi

well, i mistakenly put in an M6-1 coil, so the head is tapped for that. i think i will try to make a jb weld mold around the threads of a glow plug at thids point.

whaturi

yes, the threads failed from cross threading. yes, i am very pissed at myself.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

Jimmy,

You will most likely find that the exhaust lifter or cam follower is also pitted.

Though the engine will run pretty good to just reinstall the parts, it is best that you put a cam and lifters in this engine.

Jimmy Hoffa

My Feedback: (3)

I will take your advice and change them out. The cam and lifters only cost $20. This motor only has about 6 gallons of fuel thru it. Shouldn't the cam last longer than that? The bearings were also shot.
Phillip

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Jimmy H:

Six gallons, or about 16 hours on your engine, is in the ballpark for the original bearings. Get a replacement set from RC_Bearings.com, specify the "Ceramic" variety, at least ten times the life of the originals.

The cam lobe wear could be from using all synthetic oil, not keeping the valve lash set to minimum, or a combination. Keep the lash set to a maximum of 0.002" and use a castor blend oil. A little tighter on the valves, down to 0.0015" is even better.

I have reassembled engines with more wear on the cams with no problem, but as you said, they're not expensive.

Bill.

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

How thick is the little steel feeler guage that OS gave me with my engine ? Should both valves be set to that much clearance ?

With good care and Omega 15% fuel how many hours will a Saito run before I start having wear problems with good care and Omega 15% fuel ?


Thanks,
JettPilot

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I would just dress up the lobe and not worry about it at this point. I used to dress up cam lobes on Pratt & Whitney cam drums using stones and oil. For this little critter, I would use a Dremel stone bit. But not in the Dremel! Use it by hand and dress out the pitted area and be sure to flare it out ever so slightly. You don't want to just create a divit in there.