I was hoping to hear more about weather or not the use of low power settings
hurts your engine.
Based on my studies and books written on engine management by Kas Thomas
https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Engine-Kas-Thomas/dp/B005LX4EVM
the use of high power settings does nothing to hurt your Lycoming, quite the contrary as I understand it.
In fact Kas writes extensively about the negative impact on engine health when babying a Lycoming. Particularly the use of anything other than full power for take off, citing the need for combustion chamber pressures
needed to achieve proper ring seating to prevent combustion gas blow-by.
Much the same is true for cruise conditions. As I understand it, if you want your engine to last, use high power settings, if you want your gas to last use low power settings.
What say the experts??