Suptter...yes, I did disassemble the engine prior to running it and it really looked pristine (to me).

I'm no engine mechanic, but could find no signs of rust or roughness and the bearings felt pretty smooth to me. I had checked it out after I bought it and it looked good then...That's why I couldn't understand why Hobby Services said there was a problem.

Boy, GMPheli, you really know your engines! Thanks for the tip on using good bearings in this engine!

What, exactly are the outward signs of the bearings going bad in service? Loss of RPM? Seizing? I want to keep my eye on this one but don't really know what to look for besides that rough feeling when spinning the prop staticly.

Again, thanks to all for your help and valued input.