More piddling around with LOP, starting etc.
My cold starts haven't been the best (O-360 without primer), but I believe it's my procedure that's to blame. 12 years ago I caught the airbox of a C-150 on fire and haven't pumped the throttle without the prop turning since. My cold starts (preheated below 40 *F) have consisted of hit the starter and pump the throttle twice, usually takes 2-3 tries for a successful start. Recently I've started using the more conventional approach of pumping the throttle twice and then hitting the starter, starts easily in 2-3 blades. New start procedure adopted, I'm amazed how easy it starts now.
Runup has been the same 10-15 RPM and EGT change with one ignition shut down. Even with the Catto prop my static idle stop is set at 480 RPM, much lower and it starts to get rough.
My engine doesn't have an even enough fuel distribution to run LOP at full throttle, I thought I got some screen shots but apparently not. At full throttle, while leaning the mixture #4 cylinder will be close to 100 LOP when #2 cylinder is getting close to peak. No wonder #4 is my hottest cylinder and #2 is my coolest.
Something magic happens when I partially close the throttle, everything evens out. I could change my data fields around on the G3X to better represent the situation, but this was just after leveling out at about 7000 Density Altitude and setting the mixture LOP. All my EGT's peak about 1450 when slowly enriching the mixture from LOP. I was showing about 155knts TAS, disregard the GS noted in the screen shot as the winds were not consistent. I can go about 30-40 *F leaner but I can feel the engine surging, small changes in mixture make a big difference LOP. My fuel flow is also not steady from 6-8 GPH, perhaps the way the needle and float is opening and closing.
Here's a screenshot of about 100 *F ROP, I couldn't tell any difference in speed only fuel burn.
The above situations were about 80-85 *F on the ground, I was showing much better cylinder head temps several months ago. Thinking about redoing the cowl exit for better cooling.