I never set mine that close, always on the rich side. I always leave a smoke trail for the first of a flight. I guess that's why mine last so long I get tired of them and chuck them in a box. I will admit that I have been running short of engines now that we have built so many twins and I also use the old engines on seaplanes.

I usually think that changing the needle valve once a year is plenty and changing it once a month means you don't know beans about running engines.

Guys usually ask me if I want to hold the nose up, but I also rarely do this. If you're not running too lean it'll run fine with the nose up.

I don't think in all the years I have been flying models that I have had a top end change appreciably when removing the battery unless I was running too cold a plug or too low nitro. If it changes too much with an A3 or #8, the plug is bad or you're trying to run FAI fuel.