MDS just had bad quality control from what I've seen. There are some Wednesday engines out there that run as well as anything else, and then there are some that never have and never will run reliably. I'd caution newbies to stay away from them too. An experienced hand can make a goofball engine run right most of the time, but a new pilot doesn't need the frustration and certainly doesn't need the deadsticks. An OS or Thunder Tiger engine is a good investment to get started right in the hobby without any problems.