I absolutely agree w/ the tuning and oil issue....currently I use Maxy's 25% and add castor oil to it...yeah it does load up when it idles but it runs cool.....The Conrod issue is definately from modding the engine...I ported/polished the fuel intake on the crank and polish the journal and the whole crank (mostly just for fun), also polished th esleeve ports....didn't mod them just polish.....this increased the upper RPMs on the mill and I don't think that conrod handles it very well...I love the engine stock and modded but it really east the conrods in the port modded one I have......I noticed when I got it I ran 30% and was doing the same thing...someone recommended the 25% fuel and I had no more conrod issues.....now tha tI modded one the conrod issues ar eexactly what I had happening w/ the 30% fuel...the brass bushing spins and then the oil hole won't line up anymore...I know this was a very poular engine to mod a few years ago but nobody can tell me if another conrod has th esame dimensions......

Gearing can be a factor if the engine's turning extremely high RPM. Run to hard or too fast, and engines don't last too long.

are you reffering to gearing too high of a gear and it working the engine too hard or too low of a gear and it revs too easy.....right now I'm not too concerned w/ the overall life as long as I can get at least 10 gallons of usable service from it.....that Fantom gave me less than 1 gallon and it's done...looks brand new and has no compression even cold...I can turn it over w/ my pinky....I get over 10 gallons from my RGs and that's considered a low end mill......