Outboards.....Had it!

[Billybob]

Hooper - I'm not a merc expert, but a couple things to check are your gas line connections are you sucking any air before the fuel pump, do you notice more oil consumption than you used to, are you running the right plugs ?
I agree O/B's are a pain, and even though mine is running good it is an old loud smokey thing.I disconnected the VRO in mine just for piece of mind.
I'm not really sold on the 4 strokes yet, when it's time to repower the jury might be in on Bombardier, and Ficht could be the way to go,
Good Luck