leaning procedures and EGT

[GAHorn]

I do the same, as soon as I am out of the pattern I pull the mixture out to approx. where I know it should be.
I have an ACS mixture control, which is a "ratchet" type control. It has small ribs on the operating rod just beneath the knob, which begin to appear when the knob is pulled about an inch from the panel. I know from previous experience with this SN where the "sweet spot" is.
I do not aggressively lean during the climb, however. It just isn't full-rich. (I have no sophisticated instrumentation, only a tach and a CHT, and perhaps this technique may be a good argument in favor of an engine monitor, but no evidence of harsh treatment has appeared and I'd rather spend it on avgas or save for ADS-B.)

<I realize now that I'd left out an important comment in my previous post (above) and have inserted a blue comment I hope will not be missed.>

[cessna170bdriver]

I'm based at 4000' MSL, so I rarely have the red knob pushed all the way in. My UBG-16 from EI with 6-cylinder CHT/EGT may not be necessary, but I do instrumentation for a living, and kind of like knowing details about what's going on up front. I have found that leaning to peak EGT on the hottest cylinder then richening about 25 or so puts me right in the same spot that the old lean-to-rough/richen-to-smooth procedure puts me, right around 1425* F on the hottest EGT. Now I just know how far out to pull the red knob to get that number. Fuel usage (calculated at tank filling) is about 8.5 or so at 2600 cruise, and about 7.5 at 2450.

I don't think an actual EGT number means very much from one airplane to the other, especially with systems installed in the field. Just a small change in location can mean a big difference in measured temperature. My probes are as close as I could get them to 2 inches below the flange.

I used to have a lot of valve sticking problems, but they all went away when I switched to a steady diet of 100LL. I haven't had to clean plugs between annuals for nearly 20 years.