Phuzzy

Hey all

I just bought a new Saito 120. There is a very odd statement in the manual regarding starting the engine manually. Maybe it is just badly translated english ... (There is lots of that) But it says that when starting the engine by hand, after priming it the usual way, that you have to crank the propeller in a clockwise fashion and as the compression stroke takes place the engine will recoil and start in the normal anti-clockwise fasion. They clearly state that you cannot start it like a 2-stroke by just flipping it in an anti-clockwise way.

Now, this is my first four stroke engine, so they might have a point but it does seem a bit odd.

Marcel

65 Chevy

My Feedback: (1)

No, Actually "back flipping is quite common. My larger 2 strokes all start best by "recoil start. My Saito 1.50 only starts by recoil. Its much harder to start my 1.50 turning counter clockwise

desmobob

It's correct as far as being the easiest way to start the Saitos. I don't know if you CAN'T start it by flipping it in the direction it runs because I've never tried. I start all my engines, 2 and 4 cycle, by giving the spinner a "snap twist" in the wrong --clockwise-- direction.

Good flying,
desmobob

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

Wow,

I don't remember reading this in any of my old Saito literature but this is the way I start most glow engines especially the larger ones.

B.L.E.

The key is priming the engine. You want it really wet, i.e. fuel dripping out of the exhaust. If the engine's choke is not accessible, hold your finger over the exhaust outlet to pressurize the fuel tank with muffler pressure while flipping the engine over forward by hand with the glow battery disconnected.

Now connect the glow battery, close the throttle to idle, grab the spinner by your fingertips and spin the engine back wards hard, voila!, an idling engine. Onlookers will be amazed and will prostrate themselves before you chanting "we are not worthy, we are not worthy".

Here's why it works so well. Because the engine is really wet, the engine fires and kicks back very early in the compression stroke reversing the rotation of the crankshaft and spinning the engine forward through the exhaust stroke and then through the intake stroke. Because, the throttle is nearly closed, very little air enters the cylinder and when the intake valve closes, there is a partial vacuum in the cylinder and the compression doesn't really start until the piston is about halfway or further up the compression stroke. Because of this, the new mixture does not fire until the piston in nearly at top dead center in the forward direction.

AMB

Very old technique some of the very old marine engines going back to the very eary 1900s "crude make and break ignition" were started
in the same manner no electric starters on them martin

Phuzzy

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the input :-) I am quite looking forward to giving this a try.

Marcel

squawk1200

I have never heard of this before and can't wait to try it. I have a saito 150 and have already chipped my apc prop. I always start the engine by turning it counter clockwise and it's a nightmare, but I still love the engine.

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

Try it, you'll be glad you did. I have two 150's and a 180 an I start then thusly: I choke/prime until they are sloppy wet. If the throttle is partially open you can hear the change when it gets wet. Some use a choke and others put their finger over the exhaust for priming.

I back the prop to the compression stroke. I put on the glow driver and use a chicken stick against the tip of the prop to smartly push it in the CW direction. As I push the prop against the compression, the chicken stick will slip off the prop and not get wacked. I set the prop so that the reverse compression is about 1 O'clock.

Others flip the spinner with their hand and that is a great way to start and for safety, but I don't have enough power or speed in my hand.

magyarbacsi

I have several brands of 4 cycles and have never even tried to start them by counter rotation, with the exception of using an electric starter. New engines, especially if ringed, are more difficult to start for the first time. I prime it just enough to get fuel in the line, rotate the prop to make sure I don't have hydro-lock, and then use an electric starter and proceed with the break in method. After a few starts as such, I can go to manual start. My Magnum 91 took "several "electric starts before I could start it manually. Now I prime till I can feel back pressure and a quick cw bump will flip it ccw and starts, usually the first time.

Those of you who don't use chicken sticks, well it's your finger. I used to pride myself about accident free flying for over 15 yrs. It took only one incident, and it was not during starting either, to realize how quick and how deep those props can lay your finger open. I've learned after 3 fingers and 10 stitches.