that I have caught more than a couple of dodgy mags on the pre-takeoff mag checks
Fair comment...often I will quickly flick from both ->L->R as I taxi out checking the bar graphs all rise and fall together, I am not interested in RPM drop between L and R. I do that with the mixture leaned brutally and at whatever rpm I am taxiing at...usually around 750-800rpm.
That shows me as much as I need to know before getting airborne and as much as I would learn doing the 'classic mag check' as taught to me 26 years ago.
In cruise WOTLOP selecting L or R and leaving it at each position for an extended time while closely monitoring the EDM shows me whether my system is functioning perfectly or not....it shows me how well the
plugs AND magnetos are functioning
under load as opposed to
just functioning.
I actually lean the mixture on climb from about 1500' on up but only because I have an all cylinder monitor...I have actually
climbed LOP on many occassions if only climbing below 3-5000'....but climbing LOP requires knowledge, confidence
and a good all cylinder monitor.