Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

I bought this engine and would like some information. Apparently from reading Bills Saito notes that it's an early ABC type with a liner. It's got a brass tube muffler and the exhaust exits from the rear. It has the letter "B" stamped on the right hand lug.

Any guess as to what year this version came out? I assume that it's one of the low cam low compression models.

A link to a manual for this engine would be greatly appreciated. It's never been mounted/fueled. There's a small glass bowl fuel filter that came with it. Is this a firewall mount or can you attach it to one of the screws on the engine?

I wish Bill was still with us. He really knew his stuff.

blw

My Feedback: (3)

Hey Broken Wings, nice little engine. I think only one twin had a liner. I can look at an old brochure if I can find it. I'm about 100% sure Saito only put out one engine with a liner and one engine with nickel plating. Both were twins or radials.

Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

I read this: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/glow...ml#post3582901

And figured it had a liner if it was the Large Fins over the cam box.

1QwkSport2.5r

I don't know crap about Saito, but it's good to see you around again BW.. thought about sending a PM to see how you're doing these days...

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

That engine is known in some circles as the Fat Head 120, w8ye could enlighten us some on that I think.

Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

I'm good. I've been working a lot.

Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

AAC or ABC......?

I'd rather not take it apart to find out....

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

http://sceptreflight.com/Model%20Eng...%20FA-120.html

The 1.20 that Clarence Lee tested here is similar to yours but has a different intake pipe mount, same carb and same exhaust pipe but he says its AAC. It must be a tweener model. You can see the step blow the cylinder, (in the crank case) that was done on certain models to keep the brass sleeve from sliding downward.

Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

I think I'll go with William Robison......ABC with bronze valve guides/seats.

In the article, Clarence mentions a carburetor venturi throat restrictor for use with larger propellers. Does anybody have one?

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

I think I'll go with William Robison......ABC with bronze valve guides/seats.

I think you'd be right. It seems to be a rare or just not well known.

Broken Wings

My Feedback: (20)

My reasoning is how it was manufactured. I think Bill may have looked at it a little closer. If it was AAC, I would think that it would be a pain to install the guides/seats after plating. He was a motorcycle guy and those guys are rarely ever wrong.....

Hobbsy

My Feedback: (102)

Yes he was, a Vincent nut, he was also a sports car nut and drove a Grand Mercedes 600 that got about 8 mpg and maybe 11 on a good day.. If he got hold of one he definitely would have looked. He borrowed my little Saito .30 for that very thing and sent it back with a black cylinder, he powder coated it for a little joke. It's very special now. Woops, wrong picture, can't find the correct one.

AJ Sun

My Saito FA 120 D case fat head the exhaust exits out the side. The ABC series has two different rear bearing my D case has the small size rear bearing only way to get them replaced was Boca bearings in Florida. Right now I am waiting for the plastic cylinder retainer pin inserts.also the valve tube seals are out of production so I will use heat shrink. My engine was used and given to me. I feared the cam gear was damaged,frozen engine, but it was the bearing full of rust. I figured it was sat after use and no after run oil was applied. I use Dextron ATF a quart is 4.00 maybe more now. My quart has lasted me about 10 years. My exhaust is copper and my carb was also frozen Heating the engine was a must to take it apart. And used my sonic cleaner with 88 degreaser additive. Ran it thru three cycles of thirty minutes each. Really came clean used alcohaul to neutralize the 88 degreaser, then three in one oil to protect while waiting on replacement parts. AJ

AJ Sun

Ya Broken Wings, that fuel filter is built by Saito you can mount it on the fire wall or where ever you choose. It is a Fat Head and has the copper disc carb for fine tuning. Also it’s ABC Class. No liner. Look on the right mount lug should have a letter stamped both my 120s are D series with the 90 degree exhaust port. My exhaust is copper with a brass wrap and is pressured thru the case. Use it in cold weather below 20 degrees. Our web site Saito engines has a great post on tuning that series engine with the brass carb disc. AJ

AJ Sun

I know it’s a really old post,but I am wondering about the right mount lug A thru D. D Is on my engine. I own two FA 120s one I bought in I think 1984. It’s also a D model the exhaust comes out the right side. All the other Saitoes In FA 120 the exhaust comes out the back by the intake. I’ve noticed the smaller engines some have the exhaust out the right side also like my D FA 120. I am still looking for a few parts. Most of the parts I’ve found are the same as the 150 and 180. But these engines are not fat heads. If any one has a FA-120 with rear exhaust by the intake, is that A,B,or C or above the D code. Like E,F,or G. Not many local guys have Saitos most are into this electric Ice coolers. Meaning Foam.AJ

1200SportsterRider

AJ, the D is not a model indicator, it is a batch series indicator, Saito makes the engines in runs or batchs. The first run has no letter on the right lug, the next has an A etc. If an has improvements such as a 125 became the 125a when Saito added two or three cooling and made the cooling fins deeper.


125 left, 125a on right.

These are from first run and are high compression Saito 150's, they have no initial on the right lug. The one on the right is the first 150 sold by Horizon.

AJ Sun

As I tried to say my phone is going nuts. Thank you for the post. Thats another opinion that I have not hurd. Ive ordered parts. That are denoted as it will fit the D series. But it don't. Been trying to decider. But I am realizing Saito is not supporting the older model engines. No real market for that. So I've been scanning old hobby shops. ROYS IN Hurst Texas was great, but was bought out. And folded blamed Covid I visited a few times. They were very leary about the epidemic and it resulted in closing. They had several old Saito parts. The owner liked the model alot and stocked several classic parts. Oh well. They supported the hobby for many years. Out of the Airline industry. The owner was a PFE for American Airlines.AJ

Jesse Open

Dave,

Seems the early version had one more fin than the later. They opened up a bit more space and added fin area at the hottest place, upper part of the head.
Little doubt this had a lot to do with the anticipation of the soon to be released gaspoline versions. They did make other changes as well.
Good of Saito to incorporate those desirable modifications to properly accomodate the change.

1200SportsterRider

Aha, I let the fact that the fins go farther down the cylinder fool me.

Jesse Open

You aren't alone! I first thought the same. Wasn't until I actually counted that I realized they had increased the fin depth along with the spaces between them.