This is why we do runups

Rick,

That's pretty much the way I fly the plane although I land at a partially
leaned setting I know from experience will give me full power without
stumbling if I have to go around and forget the mixture.

I've posted stuff on our club web site about leaning and preach it every
chance I get. Everyone I've talked to assures me that they are leaning.
Than, I talked to someone today who said, "I lean all the time but I never
pull it out more than an inch because I'm afraid of overheating it." Ah,
the picture is becoming a little clearer. That engine hardly feels it at an
inch.

This engine has an unusually good mixture distribution for an O-320. There
is very little roughness or stumbling before it quits and it's easy to stall
leaning to the max on the ground. I think this makes people gun shy about
seeing too much shiny metal ahead of the red knob.

I guess I've got to push the issue more. It's hard though to change long
time habits learned from revered CFI's who had 10 times the hours I have.
We had three hours shop time instead of three hours flight time yesterday.
Price of habit I guess.

--
Roger Long