Rick,

What size prop were you using? I think the engine runs at it's best with an 11x5 or 11x6.
It's too bad, this engine is just so weak. When I bought mine I was a newbie and I got suckered in to buying this engine because everyone at the field had only good things to say about OS engines. And, it is a good engine just not as powerful as you would expect a .46 to be. I think it runs like a weak .40 myself. I still haven't gotten any real use out of it. 4 years later it is sitting on a shelf.
I mounted a Magnum XL.53 with an APC 11x5 prop on my SSE. This gives very good performance on this plane. I have plenty of vertical and speed.

Good luck
Frank