ORIGINAL: Foxy
No. Every engine, even between two identical engines, has it's own character. Some are troublemakers, others are well behaved. You never know until you start tuning.
Totally disagree.
The answer to the original question is, yes, as long as it's not a Traxxas RTR engine.
LRP 28 and 30, Dynamite 454, Big Red 28, Mach 427, stock Savage X 4.6 engine, are
YES VERY MUCH ALL THAT EASY TO TUNE. I've had many of them now, and would not continue to be into it if they were a hassle.
I would say the rate of "troublemakers" is absolutely no different than with electric. I'm sure some guys buy lipos and have problems, and others who buy the same brand don't, etc.. Throughout RC you can have quality issues, but that applies to everything, and not nitro moreso than other areas. Fuel, plugs, servos, even RC's themselves.. I have two LST2's, and while one has been absolutely hassle-free, the second one has often been a PIA(though fair enough I have modded this one more.. So more hassle is to be expected.. But there have also been quality issues.. It arrived with the bumper broken for ex...)