Not the 400 I was looking for.

I've been anticipating the new MS400.1 from Stihl, but no news from area OPE dealers.

This decent used MS400 popped up this week on FBM. Asked his best price and for $400 I couldn't say no. He was asking $500. A couple new chains (any hacks for removing the rust?) made the deal even sweeter.

My other 400 is accessorized with several upgrades. Suppose I could've easily removed them, but what fun is that? Two is better than one after all! Guess this is an early self birthday gift.

Anyone seen a 400.1 for sale in the states yet? Not on the Stihl US website yet.

 

Now that's a deal Brad!

 

Personally I would toss the rusty chain.
Nice buy on the saw!

 

Would a quick dip in muriatic acid clean it up?

 

Muriatic will remove the rust but will leave chloride ions and cause rust again.
Phosphoric acid will remove iron oxide, will not hurt the steel, does NOT get washed off or neutralized and leaves a phosphate coating to prevent further rust.
Electrolysis will also work.
Still a lot of work to save a chain.

 

Sweet saw at a good price. Those chains are low kickback Vanguard style too, which the rakers are very hard to file down. I’ve taken a steel wire brush in a die grinder to some of mine that got rusty, but it’s a ton of work and you’ve got to wear a mask (I’ve gotten sick years ago breathing in airborne rust) If the rust isn’t too bad you could soak them in kerosene or diesel and use a wire hand brush too.

 

That's a deal Brad! I rarely see MS400's come up on FBMP here and when they do, they are a couple hundred off retail price. As for the chains, I would hit them with WD 40, wipe them down and run them.

 

The rusty one was NIB Oregon he pulled out of the puddle in his toolbox. Usually I'll just dip in bar oil and let it be. I did a little research and most stated that of it pivots okay then run as is.

My 361 may go up for sale soon.

 

Yeah the same here too. He had a similar 500 for $1000 and a 200t for $500. Imagine my surprise of his asking price on this. Young kid (28) getting out of the tree/landscape business.

 

Take pics if you take the shrouds off and clean it up. It would be nice if someone on here bought your 361, keep it in the family so to speak

 

Remember all that gritty rusty chit coming off is heading straight for your nose sprocket. And what's scraping the drivers clean.......

 

True. I bought the 361 from jo191145 back in 2020

 

Ultrasonic cleaner with some sorta special potion?

 

Cola or other drink with phosphoric acid kinda works.
My bet would be to use electrolysis. A container, battery charger and handful of washing soda and watch it bubble your cares away.

 

I was going to do either a cola or vinegar soak, rinse then dip in bar oil to prevent any further rust.

Good point about particulate invading the sprocket and bar groove, but I look at it this way...I'm sure there's always filings from sharpening present on a chain no matter how careful one is when sharpening. Plus the amount of use that chain will get rotating among my saws and 20" bars.

 

Hang it on a wall and call it a day.
"If anything you might want to save it for a junk bar for an occasional stump cut , it's all part of the cost of doing business.

 

Welcome to the 400 x 2 club. 261 and 400 has become my everyday carry saws.
Good deal on that saw too.

 

The 2nd answered question on the bottom of the page says Q4 2026. I have a 361 I'm considering replacing because it seems like every other time I have to run it now, I have to tinker with something. The question is 400 now or 400.1 at the end of the year.

MS 400 Gasoline Chainsaw | STIHL

 

361 runs fine for me. I just wont use it much as the 400 as its almost the same weight. I seem to use mostly my mtronic saws. Tuning carbs not my thing.

And to answer your question. Get the 400 now. Get the 400.1 at years end.

Oh and I just found out the MS300 is out in Germany. Basically a fuel injected version of a 261.

 

First cut with it today bucking some big dead ash. Other than the chain being too tight it ran fine. One tank through it.