gmccord1970

I just bought a used Saito .65 and no absolutely zilch about this engine except that it has a good reputation. Woo hoo!!

Steveibrc

Hello all!  Need insights on engine cooling baffling on my current project. A  WM Super Sportster 90 with a Saito FA100T. Have got the initial flights out of the way, bare for better cooling, and now ready to button up cowling .. Have added cheek holes and appropriate exit holes, lower baffles below cheeks and, and in process of fabing a full scale style pretty darn airtight set of plenum baffles on top of the motor using rubber cable and foil a/c tape off the intake manifolds. and adding rubber tape and foil extensions off the light ply baffle plate i installed below the bottom of the cylinders. If i fool with enough, I can get a pretty darn close approximation of a GA a/c standard cooling plenum.  You all think this will work/help?  Am i inviting hot spots? Need to hear some experience here......Thanks to all!

mike109

G'day

The old 65 is a very sweet running engine. It is on the heavy side as it is part of an older series which have a drop in Chromed Brass liner. The later series do without the brass liner and the aluminium of the cylinder is chromed directly. Both use aluminium pistons with cast iron rings. The bearings are the same as the more recent 72 and the later 62 uses the same carby so parts are no real problem.

I have had two 65s but have recently sold both. One was quite old and came from eBay. It needed some new bearings but then ran really well. The second was bought new - probably after they had been discontinued by Saito. I chose it quite deliberately for an ARF Sig Kadet Senior as the Senior needed some nose weight to get it to balance with the lighter 62 but with the 65 she was just perfect.

Enjoy. I did.

Mike in Oz

mike109

G'day

It is only the tappet cover after all. Early four strokes like the OS FS 60 and 75 did not have any tappet covers at all. Nor did the early Saitos and Enyas. I have an Enya 41 four stroke diesel which comes without the cover fitted and not even the pushrod tubes fitted. They are considered "optional".

You can try to use just one of the bolts with a little Loktite or just leave the covers off and watch the works do their thing. You may need to lubricate things with some light oil and some oil may spew out but it should not cause any real problems.

From what I have heard of him, the Clarence Lee suggestion is a good one if you don't want to buy a new barrel.

Mike in Oz

Rudolph Hart

Stevie if i read part of your post right you are using rubber tubing from the cowling intake to the carby throat? in full size aircraft some owner/operaters have bought cheaper thinner wall tubing and had it(the tubing)sucked shut or partially so,by the huge draw from the carb suck.

Cherokee Flyer

It would not hurt to send it to Horizon, it could be a flaw in the casting. It should have stripped the threads, not pulled out part of the casting.

L.

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Beej, I use the torque wrench on the left to assemble model engines, its range is 0 to 36oz in lbs. I torque Saito rocker bolts to 4 in lbs, at 5 in lbs in the cover starts to cave in. So, out on the end of a 4" allen wrench that would be about 1 lb. of pressure. That old Indestro "bender" is about 55 years old, I bought as a kid to work on lawn mowers and my 250cc Indian/Royal Enfield motorcycle.

Beej

Thanks - I've learned my lesson - will be much more careful tightening the screws in the future! Tomorrow I've got to work out how I can get it fixed in Australia - first stop LHS I guess. Not keen on installing a new cylinder myself.

Beej

mike109

G'day Beej

In Australia there is one place you might like to consider. If you get a copy of Airborne magazine you will find articles by Brian Winch - "The Airborne Engin-ear". You can contact him by email and he does lots of engine repairs. He may well be able to help you.

Mike in Dubbo, NSW

Beej

Gday Mike,

Thanks - very useful - I have an Airborne subscription so will have a look. Chat with my LHS this morning which was very depressing - looks as though there is no substantive Saito support in the Pac region - you would think I could at least send it directly to the country of manufacture at least but no, apparently. Going to make me think twice about buying a Saito again since it appears to be essentially unsupported for servicing in this country. Really a great pity - love the engine!!

cheers,

Beej

Rendegade

I thought the australian agents for saito were HHQ?

Have you tried contacting them?

Beej

Thanks Rendegade - just emailed them - found they were the distributors on the web - no thanks to LHS!

best

Beej

mudboger07

Just finished breakin in my new fa125 with the recamended 16-6 prop, is this a good prob for the seagull ultimate 90 or is something else recomended. Withthe 16-6 it was turning 8400 rpm's. I'm not looking to 3d just sport flying. thanks for any info.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

A 125 is not fully broken in until you have run 3 or 4 gal through it. So you will continue to see improvement

the pope

Howdy Beej I have ordered parts from HHQ for both super tigre and saito and havnt had any probs. If your LHS wont help you spend your $ elsewhere ( if you can) . Try doing your own repairs yourself, just remember in which order they came apart and dont force anything. The engines come with a diagram so give it a shot. Once you ve done it once your chest will puff out with pride and your on your way. Cheers the pope.

Beej

Hi there The Pope,

Thanks - will order the new cylinder from HHQ and give it a go. Good advice on the disassembly! LHS has been very disappointing considering the large number of $ that have passed from me to them over the years.

cheers

Beej


[
[/quote]
Howdy Beej I have ordered parts from HHQ for both super tigre and saito and havnt had any probs. If your LHS wont help you spend your $ elsewhere ( if you can) . Try doing your own repairs yourself, just remember in which order they came apart and dont force anything. The engines come with a diagram so give it a shot. Once you ve done it once your chest will puff out with pride and your on your way. Cheers the pope.
[/quote]

mike109

G'day Beej

Apart from the Engin-ear, when I want parts for my 15 Saitos (I just ordered another one I like them so much), I get them from Col Taylor Models in Wagga. (The usual reason for needing parts is gravity.) They carry a good stock of parts and can get any that they don't have. I will be interested to see how you get on with HHQ. They can be difficult to deal directly with (or so my LHS told me).

Col has a web site and he is an expert at mail order. I am currently waiting on some Hitec 2.4 receivers, a Sig Fazer kit and a Saito 62 (which will make three) from him.

I also know that Brian Winch (the Engin-ear) does a lot of the warranty work for several of the importers so he is very worth contacting for engine work.

Having said that, Saitos are not difficult to work on and as has been said, it will really make you feel good when you fix it yourself and see it run again.

Mike in Dubbo, NSW, Oz.

mudboger07

I agree with ya on that w8ye, is 8400 rpms ok during break in, Also im still using a 16-6 prop and 30% byrons heli fuel with 21% oil. Iknow Ineed to keep it on the rich side during break in and tweek it during the rest of the break in. Ive been really pleased with saito's as this is my 3rd one in just a few months...lol

Nikolas K

Does anyone Saitonut here [8D], have the original manual of the FA-30S? I want the one that comes with every Saito and seems to be the factory-original one. It usually comes packed in a plastic folder with a Saito leaflet...

PS I do not want the Horizon Hobby nor the Aeronaut ones...pls if anyone has it in a file, scanned or knows where to download.That's because I believe that the factory instructions are usually the best...
Thank you.

goforit

need help with a Saito g36 Gas // cant get more than 6200rpm on factory settings (prop 18/8 mix 20-1 ) primes & starts great has a very good idle (1900) good transition ,have eliminated any tank prob. etc Note: it does not seem to matter what prop we use (18x8 up to 20x8 always the same 6000 to 6200 ???) and finally it seem to rum much hotter than any Saito glow that I have // could it be the electronic module ?? I do hope that I have the correct section for this request ...

Kostas1

My Saito FA-180GK!!!!

FNQFLYER

Contact Phil Collings out of the Tingalpa Club if he can't fix your engine he will know who can do the job

FNQFLYER

That last message was to the guy from Brisbane who needed Saito repairs.

FNQFLYER

Just back from SAM champs here in QLD.  Extremely cold at Rosewood (Amberley) the 65 worked wonders as Duration engine in the 85% Lanzo with the 13 x 6 Bolly.  Operator error and dumb thumbs from lack of flying resulted in a mid fielf result so I am not dis pleased however the Saito disgraced irself by trying to take my finger(s) off in Texaco.  The 15 x 8 prop made a mess of my little finger (two breaks deep cuts and lost nail)  and deep cut on the ring finger.  New digital radio and me not standing up properly while disconnecting glo driver.  The model flew well in my mates hands to a 3rd place for him while I was away getting tended to.  Most pain is to ego first accident in 29 years of competition flying
So the message is take care around these devices and make sure you are up to date and current with their operation.
Me I am putting remote glos on all the new models and getting an extra member for the crew to just start the engine while I operate the radio and my launcher looks after the model.  

Rudolph Hart

That must have hurt,did you rub some queensland swampwater on it?