You shouldn't be having problems with the remote needle, but I'd admit, its one reason why I don't have any engines with that feature. Have you tried replacing the rubber washer in it (not sure if it has one)? Or slipping a piece of large tubing over it to seal it? Have you tried backflushig it to see if there are any trapped particles? In controline we'd always backflush the needle valve assembly when we had those kinds of problems. I wouldn't give up on OS, they are top notch motors. I'm running Thunder Tigers.