Stihl 023 Bogs In Large Oak - Go Narrow Kerf?

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Running a 14" bar and 3/8" LP .05 setup and the saw can bog a bit when used at the limit in sizable red oak. Thinking of upgrading to Stihl's recommended bar of 16" for a littler better fit to the wood but that would probably make things worse using the same 3/8" LP .05 chain that Stihl recommends. Would a 3/8" narrow kerf .043 (16") setup be a better upgrade for the same cutting conditions?
 
Your working with a 40cc saw, wouldnt push the envelope with the 3/8 chain and larger bar, it will just make it worse. I think @Gaudaost has sound advice. I will add, if you cant afford another saw, then there may be a rental place near you that can get you something to get you by.
 
I really don't have justification to buy a bigger saw for one tree in my neighbor's yard and at this stage of life. The 023 weighs more than I am comfortable using for very long as it is, again no longer a young buck and far into retirement. It just doesn't seem right that my 2511t does not skip a beat burried in the oak but the 023 can't handle leverage on the handle.
I'll check the muffler Steve.
 
I really don't have justification to buy a bigger saw for one tree in my neighbor's yard and at this stage of life. The 023 weighs more than I am comfortable using for very long as it is, again no longer a young buck and far into retirement. It just doesn't seem right that my 2511t does not skip a beat burried in the oak but the 023 can't handle leverage on the handle.
I'll check the muffler Steve.
Totally different animals mate, not bashing the 023, but its a heavy dinosaur compared to the 2511t. I'd still suggest a rental since it's for a more or less one time use.
 
I believe you can put a 025 piston and cylinder on an 023 for a few more ccs.
But I have an 025 with a 16" bar and it requires patience when cutting large diameter hard wood.
So you really either need more patience or substantially more ccs.
 
I really don't have justification to buy a bigger saw for one tree in my neighbor's yard and at this stage of life. The 023 weighs more than I am comfortable using for very long as it is, again no longer a young buck and far into retirement. It just doesn't seem right that my 2511t does not skip a beat burried in the oak but the 023 can't handle leverage on the handle.
I'll check the muffler Steve.
That 023 doesn't happen to be an 023L does it? The "L" variant is a "L"ow noise gutless wonder. Less power than an 017/MS170.

BTW, you would learn to HATE the .043 gauge bar & chain on that saw. It should be left for low rev pole saws for which it was designed.
 
I have an 023 with the same .050 14in..Mine has only 1 carb adjustment for the low speed screw, so there isn't much you can do if it needs to run a richer fuel to air ratio high end which sounds like you might need if its bogging under load. 50 to1 fuel mix will do better if that is the reason. Thats what i use in my 023 because the higher mix ratio i use in most my fully adjustable saws causes my 023 to bog under load.
I would suggest premium oil at 50 to 1 with 90+ Octane fresh gas, maybe run a 1/4 cap of seafoam in a tank full a few minutes and then let it sit overnight to dissolve any varnish that could be restricting fuel flow thats hurting performance.
If you have a fully adjustable carb, I would prefer a richer oil mix, open the exhaust exit to 3/4 or little more then the exhaust passage on the cylinder. Then open the H screw until the saw burbles wide open not under load. Then it should run smooth and strong in the cut and not scream out of the cut.
Make sure your spark plug is gapped at .020, to wide can cause bogging also and it should have some tan on it if its not running to hot. Check the condition of the fuel line also, if it is very soft or cracked is an issue. Make sure sediment or crud is not in your tank and in your fuel filter.
All is right and a nice sharp chain, good bar and sprocket it should cut fine but I wouldn't expect it to have much speed bigger then 10in. Or so hardwoods. Like others said, some patience. It doesn't have the power to use much leverage, feed it softly through the wood. If you think a 16inch bar would be easiar for u to work with I say go for it. I prefer .050 for durability but it would pull the narrow kerf
a little easier and for how you use your saw it sounds like a good idea. Can always switch back to your 14 when your cutting smaller cruddy wood and use the 16inch for larger. Don't overlook having a good drive sprocket without a deep groove and a good chain not all stretched out , will rob your saw of power transfer.
 
Totally different animals mate, not bashing the 023, but its a heavy dinosaur compared to the 2511t. I'd still suggest a rental since it's for a more or less one time use.
Bash away. It certainly is a heavy dinasaur but it starts and idles and that's 2 more things than the Husqvarna that sits on the shelf does, or doesn't do.
 
I have an 023 with the same .050 14in..Mine has only 1 carb adjustment for the low speed screw, so there isn't much you can do if it needs to run a richer fuel to air ratio high end which sounds like you might need if its bogging under load. 50 to1 fuel mix will do better if that is the reason. Thats what i use in my 023 because the higher mix ratio i use in most my fully adjustable saws causes my 023 to bog under load.
I would suggest premium oil at 50 to 1 with 90+ Octane fresh gas, maybe run a 1/4 cap of seafoam in a tank full a few minutes and then let it sit overnight to dissolve any varnish that could be restricting fuel flow thats hurting performance.
If you have a fully adjustable carb, I would prefer a richer oil mix, open the exhaust exit to 3/4 or little more then the exhaust passage on the cylinder. Then open the H screw until the saw burbles wide open not under load. Then it should run smooth and strong in the cut and not scream out of the cut.
Make sure your spark plug is gapped at .020, to wide can cause bogging also and it should have some tan on it if its not running to hot. Check the condition of the fuel line also, if it is very soft or cracked is an issue. Make sure sediment or crud is not in your tank and in your fuel filter.
All is right and a nice sharp chain, good bar and sprocket it should cut fine but I wouldn't expect it to have much speed bigger then 10in. Or so hardwoods. Like others said, some patience. It doesn't have the power to use much leverage, feed it softly through the wood. If you think a 16inch bar would be easiar for u to work with I say go for it. I prefer .050 for durability but it would pull the narrow kerf
a little easier and for how you use your saw it sounds like a good idea. Can always switch back to your 14 when your cutting smaller cruddy wood and use the 16inch for larger. Don't overlook having a good drive sprocket without a deep groove and a good chain not all stretched out , will rob your saw of power transfer.

I have fully adjustable carb. It's running K2 in Sunoco GTX race fuel, 98 octane, unleaded non-ethanol. I use that fuel for long shelf life. It had last been tuned by tach per the manual's specs. But there was a time when it used pump ethanol pump premium dosed with Seaform for storage mode and I didn't consider the carb could use a cleaning dosage. Need to look at the exhaust restriction as another comment pointed out.
Thanks for all the other suggestions.
 
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