just break in the engine by what the manual sez. follow it to the T!!! as for the goo yeah your running rich and its an excess of oil thats all. try leaning it maybe 1 or 2 clicks. as for cold, yeah thats a bit too cold to run an engine. As for prop, your new, the best prop that stands up to beginners is the master airscrew, has square tip so the ground wont do much damage. go with an 11x5 or 11x6. The wood will just splinter the second it touches the ground and be no good and the APC will break the tips off when it touches the ground. The APC IMHO gives more thrust and is better, but stay with master airscrew for now as the ground wont hurt it much. As for no instrutor, I did it without 1 and flew successfuly my first time and landed. Now I am an istructor and teach other people (i'm 19 too). Make sure you know what your doin, read everything you can get your hands on, Search the net, use the sim. make sure all control surfaces move the right way and your used to aileron and rudder reversal when the plane is headed torwards you. I started off with high speed taxing, then getting the front wheel off the ground for a wheelie, then getting the plane about 3 feet in the air then cutting throttle and landing, then I got the balls to actually take her up and fly aound. Nice and easy control inputs. Dont be afraid to lose the plane to a crash cause its not a matter of IF you will crash but WHEN you will we crash. I dont think there is 1 seasoned modeler hear that has not crashed. Good luck and if you need anything just email me directly at [email protected] and I will be glad to help you anyway i can.

sean