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Author Topic: I didn't need one.  (Read 1834 times)

Offline Mark Mc

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I didn't need one.
« on: August 04, 2018, 04:42:02 PM »
I didn't want one.  I don't even have a plane for one.  But I got one.

I was returning from Delta Park yesterday and stopped at the local hobby shop on the way home, as I normally do when I'm on that side of town.  The shop has a new owner, and they're re-doing the whole shop.  Nothing in the place does anything for me, but a little orange battery box in the display case had "Saito 45 - $80" scribbled on the side.  So I asked to see it, and inside was a relatively clean FA-45.  Like I said, I don't need another, and was not looking for another.  If anything, the only engine I was kinda thinking about would be a Saito FA-30.  But looking in my wallet, I had two twenties, so I offered the shop owner $40 for it.  She said, "I'll take it.  The motor has been in the shop for six months and I'm ready for it to be gone".

So, now there's a FA-45 sitting on the test stand waiting for the temperature to drop outside.  I don't know what I'll do with it.  But now I have a fourth four cycle engine.  What shall I do?   What shall I do?

Mark
« Last Edit: August 04, 2018, 09:18:08 PM by Mark Mc »

Offline Mark Mc

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Re: I didn't need one.
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2018, 10:19:51 PM »
Okay, this seems to be $40 well spent.  I set the valve lash and ensured that everything was oiled well before starting it up.  The test stand runs went pretty well.  I know you can’t fix an abused engine, but I went ahead and just ran the break-in procedure anyway to start off.  I needed to use my electric starter for the first two runs, but on the third tank I got my hand starting technique down.  Nothing special about the engine, just a standard Saito.

On the last tank, I decided to answer a question I had a few months ago.  Since this is an older Saito, it has the choke attachment, but the slide was removed.  So for the last run I put the slide back on and tried a pseudo-Reeves run.  I choked down the intake with the throttle full open until I got around 8500 RPM.  Then I did the choke/needle dance until the needle was just rich of peak and the RPM settled in around 8400.  It was pretty stable, but I’ll have to play with it some more.  I was using a break-in prop, so tonight I’ll balance a Master airscrew 11x7 and mount it tomorrow and do a few runs playing with the choke.  If it works I’ll lock the throttle open and RTV it, and make up a new slide to see if I can do a little better on fine tuning.  It comes to mind that a feeler gage leaf would be just about right for that.      Granted, it’ll never be as good as a Reeves conversion, but it’s free.

Below is a photo of how much I had to close down the choke.  I know, the engine needs a good clean.  But until I knew the engine actually ran, I didn’t want to put more effort into it than setting the valve lash and ensuring the intake was clean.  I am amazed at how small the intake is and still making 8400 RPM.



Mark
« Last Edit: August 05, 2018, 02:56:35 AM by Mark Mc »

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: I didn't need one.
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2018, 05:24:45 PM »
Hi, Mark.
You did well. I've had a few of these and they're really nice smooth sport engines.
No a lot of power for the weight but they still do well.
They like a lot of nitro - up to 20% and lots of pitch. I ran 11-8 and 11 1/2-8 with good results.
But, I've not experienced the choke issues you mentioned. In fact, I removed the choke from mine and finger choked it and it ran just fine.
Try it on something like a Brodak profile P-40 - that's one of the powerplants I tried on the original prototype.

bob Z.


Offline Mark Mc

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Re: I didn't need one.
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2018, 03:59:47 AM »
Thanks, Bob.  My recurring idea is to take the Brodak P-40 and re-profile the nose into a P-36.  I'd love to take a P-40 ARF and do it*, but I'm not sure how far back the engine bearers go, or how the nose is constructed, or even the availability of matching film to finish the nose.  Plus, I'm cheap.  Alternatively, I'd get a P-40 kit and see how much an ARC wing would be.  Lately, I've not been in a wing building mood.  Unfortunately, life's been heavily interrupting all model building, so that I have small windows of time for modelling.  But I'm really, really dying to get a 4-cycle in the air.

Mark

* I've looked at the ARF entry on Brodak's website three times already as I've been typing this post.  It's hard for me to resist...

Offline Jim Mynes

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Re: I didn't need one.
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2018, 07:14:59 AM »
Thanks, Bob.  My recurring idea is to take the Brodak P-40 and re-profile the nose into a P-36.  I'd love to take a P-40 ARF and do it*, but I'm not sure how far back the engine bearers go, or how the nose is constructed, or even the availability of matching film to finish the nose.  Plus, I'm cheap.  Alternatively, I'd get a P-40 kit and see how much an ARC wing would be.  Lately, I've not been in a wing building mood.  Unfortunately, life's been heavily interrupting all model building, so that I have small windows of time for modelling.  But I'm really, really dying to get a 4-cycle in the air.

Mark

* I've looked at the ARF entry on Brodak's website three times already as I've been typing this post.  It's hard for me to resist...

I’m pretty sure Brodak sells the covering to match their ARFs. I know they do for their Ringmaster ARF, but military colors might be a different story.
I have seen the light, and it’s powered by a lipo.


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