Slick magneto problems ?

[Tom-D]

Lindberg was going for best efficiency, not max power.

He also did a great deal of experimentation on getting the most out an engine. You should read his book.

 

[Raymo]

At "full tilt boogie", you need to run a slightly rich mixture and around 25* BTDC on our slow turning engines to generate best power. That's just as easy to do with a carb and mags as with more sophisticated and expensive hardware.

Best efficiency is entirely different and you can get substantially better efficiency running a hot, advanced spark at a lean condition at lower power setting with the more complicated gear.

Full tilt mixture and power will depend on density altitude. If close to sea level, you are correct. Above about 7500, leaning will make best power and below 75% power, no harm can be done with the mixture knob. I would think that most of use the red knob for efficiency in cruise, since the speed penalty is negligible compare to fuel saved.

Lots of good reading by John Deakin on the topic.

 

[kyleb]

Nobody said don't lean. But the best power mixture is always on the rich side. How much (if any) you lean to get to best power is altitude dependent.