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N O R M A L O P E R A T I O N A N D M A I N T E N A N C E
General Operating
Procedures
(to ensure the long life of the engine)
•
D o not operate the engine with a "lean"
mixture.
•
Regularly check all screws and nuts on
both the engine and muffler.
•
After 1 to 2 hours of operation, valve
adjustment may be necessary. Adjust
the valves as shown in the Engine
Maintenance and Valve/Tappet Adjustment
Sections.
•
The Saito engines are equipped with a
"breather" nipple. It is recommended that
a length of Tygon-type tubing be attached
to this crankcase breather nipple and
routed away from the engine compartment
so the excess oil can be expelled outside
of the aircraft.
Normal Operation,
Maintenance and
Additional Information
•
Be sure to do a range check before flying
your model. It would be wise to do the
range check with the engine running
and without it running. As a simple
noise check, after the engine is started,
do the normal range check your radio
manufacturer recommends.
•
Be sure to charge the ignition battery and
radio system battery before the first flight
of the day.
•
To discharge the waste oil, connect a
gasoline-proof line from the breather
nipple on the crankcase and vent it
outside of the aircraft.
•
Lubrication of the piston, connecting
rod, bearings and cam gear is blow-
by lubrication, in which the oil in the
fuel goes into the crankcase from the
clearance between the cylinder and the
piston. Engine life is directly affected by
the property of the fuel/oil mix. Please use
reliable oil.
•
Running the engine too lean causes heat;
be sure to run the engine slightly "rich"
from peak. Running too lean will cause
"knocking" or engine failure and has an
adverse effect on the connecting rod and
the cam gear.
•
Adjustment of the tappet is described
in the "Valve/Tappet Gap Adjustment"
section.
•
When attaching an exhaust pipe to the
cylinder or attaching a propeller nut, the
use of threadlock is recommended.
•
Sometimes it is helpful to tighten an
exhaust nut, etc. when hot.
•
When finished flying for the day, be sure
to remove fuel from the carburetor and the
fuel tank.
•
If the engine will not be operated for a
long period of time, remove the plug,
rear cover, cylinder-head cover, etc, clean
thoroughly and re-oil. Then assemble them
in the original condition and place in a
plastic or air-tight container.
Troubleshooting Guide
If the engine does not start:
• C heck and use a new spark plug if needed.
• Check fuel lines.
• C heck for proper mechanical function by
turning the engine over.
• C heck that the carburetor is correctly
installed.
Mechanical Faults
If the engine cannot be turned over easily:
• I t is likely that the piston in the cylinder is
seized.
• V isually examine the piston and crankcase
to find the likely cause of the engine's
mechanical problem.
Engine Maintenance
Do not needlessly disassemble your
Saito single-cylinder engine. If you must
disassemble your engine, please refer to the
following steps.
•
Cylinder screws should be loosened in a
crisscross pattern.
•
Assemble the cam gear lining up the
timing mark at the "6 o'clock" position.
The crankshaft must be positioned at the
"12 o'clock" or "top dead center" (TDC)
position. Refer to figure below:
Cam (Intake or Exhaust)
Bench Mark
•
Reassemble the piston, rod, rocker
arm, pins, pushrod, tappet, etc. in their
original positions. Engine parts are mated
after running the engine and must be
reassembled as close as possible to their
original position.
T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G G U I D E
•
Assemble the engine, reversing
the crisscross pattern used in the
disassembly. Prior to tightening each of
the screws, apply a drop of oil to prevent
thread damage.
•
Normal engine maintenance, such as
adjusting the valves or carburetor, is
permissible without voiding the warranty.
If you have any questions concerning
maintenance procedures, please contact
the Saito Horizon Product Support
Department at 877-504-0233. Our
representatives will be happy to advise
you on maintenance issues.
Carburetor Maintenance
Should you experience difficulty with the
carburetor of your engine:
•
Be sure needles are set to factory
specifications.
Generally speaking, there are very few things
that will keep today's modern gasoline engines
from starting. To that end, make sure you are
using good-quality "fresh" fuel, the spark plug
is good, and the ignition system is working
properly.
Check the battery voltage to make sure the
ignition is getting the proper voltage. Should
the engine fail to start after these items are
verified, refer to the Troubleshooting Guide.
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