You all have good points. But I have to say to Piper Chuck> Todays ABC engines are so tight at TDC that they are almost impossible to start without the aid of a starter until well broke in. Ringed engines are a total different story. And then when it comes to the LA engine, if I am not mistaken, it is an air bleed carb and not a twin needle. This also makes a new ABC engine hard to start as you can not adjust the bottom end richer if needed.

One thing to get the most life from your ABC engine is to bench run it properly before you fly it. There are some old salts out there that denounce bench running. I think it is critical to the survival of the engine, plane, and pilot frustration(especially if you are new).

Use a good quality fuel and use the smaller propeller in the manufactures range (this will help prevent overheating). Heat cycle your engine for the first several runs. Do not run it sloppy rich or you will never built enough heat to break it in. An ABC engine break in is the opposite of a ringed engine. Anyway get it started, a little on the rich side, and run it for up to 30 seconds (head should be very warm to touch when you shut off the engine or it dies) do this several times. As you go through this process you will find the engine easier to start and will run more reliably.

After several short warming runs, increase throttle and run time a little and do this several times. Continue this until you get about a minute at good throttle, slighty rich, run that is smooth and will transition decent. The more you run it the better it will perform.

After what seems like forever of a wasted time then put the engine on the plane and fly it. By breaking it in you have incresed your odds of a sucessful flight, without a flameout at take off, by a huge factor.

There have been several very good articles written in model airplane news and RCM in the last year that give a very detailed explination of this.