I can understand your pain. That's what drove me to acrylics as well. They take a little getting used to, and won't completely replace enamels, but I use them about 99% of the time.
Hints ...
1) A coat of enamel primer improves adhesion immensely. Acrylics don't have the chemical reaction with the plastic that enamel thinners do, so they don't stick as hard. I use Tamiya Fine Surface primer in a rattle can and take it outside to spray it.
2) Tip Dry is the biggest problem with acrylics. They dry so quick they will clog the tip of your airbrush almost immediately. The type of acrylic and the type of thinner affect this a lot. I keep a Q-Tip soaked in thinner handy and wipe my tip off eny time I sit the airbrush down.
3) Clean parts are CRITICAL! Since acrylics don't bind to plastic like enamels any oil whatsoever will limit their adhesion. Most people wash their parts in soap and water, I prefer alcohol.
4) Plain old rubbing alcohol works fine for thinning MM acrylics, however it does make them dry even faster. I feel like it helps eliminate any oil or grease I may have missed when cleaning the parts.
5) A drop or two of acrylic retarder (Available at most art supply stores under numerous names) helps the tip drying problem a lot.
6) Acrylics dry to the touch almost immediately. They dry so quickly that grainy surfaces are not uncommon because of the paint partially drying on its way to the surface. Try spraying at about 15 psi, about 3-4" from the surface.
7) Thinning, IMO, is a matter of personal preference. The "Best" thinner is the thinner that the manufacturer recommends. For Tamiya paints, alcohol will cause them to dry flat whether they were supposed to or not. MM can be thinned with alcohol, Windex, or several other items. Try a ratio of 3:1 and adjust as necessary from there.
8) MikeV's magic mixture of 2 parts distilled water, 1 part Winde, 1 part Simple Green works very well for cleaning the airbrush.