DomT

Hello, ive just been searching around and didn’t know your thoughts on full wrap handles and their usefulness? I’ve got an MS400CM and wondered if I could get a full wrap for it or if it was worth it. I can find them easily for bigger saws but not really sub 70cc ones. cheers!

I’ve emailed Stihl to see if there’s a problem with them, but I’m also going to contact the supplier about it. Things are taking a little while at the moment though!

Just as a final note on this topic I replaced the broken muffler with one from a company in Germany (the name of which I forget, however it was listed in Google’s search, began with an ‘So). I took the advice of someone on here to bore holes into it, but I used a dremmel to grind out more of the existing port. It’s now running fine. Better than a brand new 441 that now seems to have given up after less than two hours use. I think I’m fated!

That was going to be my next question. I’ve ordered a new exhaust as throughout my efforts to get the damned thing off it’s pretty buckled and bent up! Also what’s the best thing to use to clean the saw out? I’ve heard steam does well?

So nearly there I got some ‘Vulan rust removal spray and got the muffler apart. What a state! However the piston looks clean with no scoring!

So I still couldn’t get the muffler off however...I got a new spark plug on it, cleaned it up and gave it a hard pull and it roared into life!!!! Going to stick a bar and chain on it and run it through a tank to see if it holds up then hopefully the heat might loosen the muffler and if it survives I’ll put a new muffler on it. Thanks for the help!

Thanks. It’s not that heavy really. Work has an echo 620 and I thought that was quite heavy. Compared to my 550xp, but it feels solid which I like. It was my intention to use it as a cross cut ‘bucking’ saw if I can get a decent sized bar on it if it’ll pull a bigger chain. Thers a large fallen beech tree that I need to sort at some point and I’m reluctant to drag the 880 out to it. That’s bloody heavy!

Thanks! I like the wordplay in that! Quite looking forward to this now. It’s due to rain on Thursday so I’ll spend the day looking at it. I think I have most of the requirements!

I’ll give it a go in the morning. Although it’s been a bit windy so I might be busy!

There is a picture above of the muffler. I’ve removed the two lower bolts and the small screw in the middle of the top but it’s completely seized on. I’ve found out the saw was running before it was put away three years or so ago. I tried to pull it over with new fuel in it but the compression feels monstrous and it’s not a smooth pull. Wanted to inspect all the saw but cannot get the damn thing off!

Just quickly if anyone’s about, ive tried this and also soaked the thing in WD40 but it’s not moving. I will admit that after leaving it soaking overnight and trying gently again the following morning I began to get annoyed and struck it either side with a hammer. This, unsurprisingly, didn’t help and it’s seized on. Any other advice? Heat maybe?

You’re not wrong! It’s caked! I can’t get the muffler off at the moment. I took the two underside bolts out and the top screw but it doesn’t shift at all.i want to learn about the parts and how it works so if any bargains appear I’d be confident to have a go. My 550 is my first saw after hiring one for a course and being really impressed with the weight/power combo.

Thanks. I fuelled it today and got nothing compression is there but it was difficult to pull over. I might just tinker with it and see what happens. You’re right it’s heavy! Weighs about the same as the echo 620 at work. Think I’ll stick to my 550. Didn’t want to start throwing money at it if it isn’t really worth it.

Good evening, whilst at work this week and clearing up due to poor weather I dug our an old 038 super that was buried in a cupboard. It was in a pretty rough state and had clearly been in there for years but I’ve cleaned it (the majority of the big grimes bits) and it seems complete. I’ve emptied out the fuel that was still in it and will try and fire it up tomorrow. If there’s no initial joy is it worth trying to fix it? I’ve looked around on YouTube which helps with specific issues and I know I won’t know until I try it, but I wanted opinions on if it was worth any effort? I’ve no idea what year it is and from looking at some photos of them I can’t seem to find a likeness. I’ll include some photos but the markings are different and I’m assuming this is to do with the year they were produced? Thanks in advance and apologies if this topic has been done before, I got over 2000 results when I tried to search on here!