Everything you describe is normal, the biggest thing you need to look for is ring or ABC, Look in the exhaust, if it is all open it's ABC, if it has 1 or 2 bars vertical it's a ringed engine. If it's ABC your SOL, but you can send it to the factory and they will change it to ring. Fox had to many problems with the ABC and discontinued it. As far as prop they recommend a 11X8, I always like the 12X9ABS prop, that is what I got the most power and RPMs with anyway. flydaddy