Hi AVB, the Briggs literature says that the last digit in the early days of the modern model number system, or two digits from then onward, are the plant number. (Initially they said the last two digits were the shift the engine was made on, and the plant number, but I'm not sure they ever did that, and if they did, it was only very briefly). So, the first six digits of the Code are the date of manufacture, and the last two are the plant number, except on early engines that only had seven digits altogether, and on those the last number is the plant number. We have a short summary of how it works in this old thread:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=47946#Post47946I agree that Briggs had no intention of the public being able to interpret their plant numbers, but for some reason, perhaps having to do with ISO quality standard compliance, they published a formal document explaining their logistics system, for the use of suppliers. Perhaps they hoped that nobody else would ever find it on the internet. You can read it here:
http://iconnect-corp.com/specs/vendors/briggsstratton/856_v4010.pdfI am aware that some Codes have appeared recently with two letters at the end instead of a traditional plant number. I haven't yet "broken the code" on the meaning of those. However we haven't seen any instances yet where the last two numerical digits are not either the number of an engine plant (including half a dozen or so engine plants which have now closed) or a number in the 50s in the case of side valve engines made since the Chongqing plant was established. There is still more work to be done in identifying the locations of the older engine plants which were closed during the "bad days" prior to establishing the Chongqing plant, when Briggs was losing money on side valve engines and was taking steps to stem the hemorrhage. Because they were gone before the 2011 document was produced, they are not on the list.
