T E A M
Bought a Saito 56 and 72 recently. The 56 started on the test bench like what I have come to expect from Saito. Running it in was a breeze and all the settings for a smooth idle etc etc was achieved quickly.
The 72 was another story all together. Its started and ran very roughly. I then notices that dark black stuff was coming out of its breather hole. I stopped the engine immediately and checked for bearing wear. I had suspected a broken ball but on closer examination, this was not the case. The stuff coming out was just too black to be metal wear.
I started it again and made very sure to keep it rich. It was running quite rich but I could still sense that something was not quite right by the way it was running. Head and crank temperatures were not hotter than would be expected but the engine still ran like as if it was really tight. Before I knew it, the engine appeared to sieze and it threw the prop.
Opening up the engine revealed that (a) the plastic rear crank case cover was literally chewed up from the inside and all the black stuff I saw coming out of the breather tube was actually the wear on the plastic case cover and (b) the big end of the con rod was broken. The whole of the engine crank case was covered in the black debris from the plastic cover.
This is the only Saito I own that uses a plastic casing. It appears that the casing is not able to withstand the normal operating temperatures of the 72. Its been taken back by the vendor to be sent to Saito for them to examine.
I would like to ask those of you who own and use a Saito 72, what your experience has been. Mine could have been a lemon but I am very disappointed that plastic was used. The other Saitos I own have all worked flawlessly except for this one. If this is a common problem of the 72, then let this be a warning for anyone intending to buy one.
I have checked their brochure and the picture of the FA-72 shows a metal back casing and not the black plastic back casing that was on the engine I bought.
The 72 was another story all together. Its started and ran very roughly. I then notices that dark black stuff was coming out of its breather hole. I stopped the engine immediately and checked for bearing wear. I had suspected a broken ball but on closer examination, this was not the case. The stuff coming out was just too black to be metal wear.
I started it again and made very sure to keep it rich. It was running quite rich but I could still sense that something was not quite right by the way it was running. Head and crank temperatures were not hotter than would be expected but the engine still ran like as if it was really tight. Before I knew it, the engine appeared to sieze and it threw the prop.
Opening up the engine revealed that (a) the plastic rear crank case cover was literally chewed up from the inside and all the black stuff I saw coming out of the breather tube was actually the wear on the plastic case cover and (b) the big end of the con rod was broken. The whole of the engine crank case was covered in the black debris from the plastic cover.
This is the only Saito I own that uses a plastic casing. It appears that the casing is not able to withstand the normal operating temperatures of the 72. Its been taken back by the vendor to be sent to Saito for them to examine.
I would like to ask those of you who own and use a Saito 72, what your experience has been. Mine could have been a lemon but I am very disappointed that plastic was used. The other Saitos I own have all worked flawlessly except for this one. If this is a common problem of the 72, then let this be a warning for anyone intending to buy one.
I have checked their brochure and the picture of the FA-72 shows a metal back casing and not the black plastic back casing that was on the engine I bought.
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