OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Briggs & Stratton Engines How To Date This Briggs?

I have this Briggs Quattro 40 engine and I want to work out the year the Victa mower was built through the engine number. I guessed early 2000s just by the style but would like a more accurate picture.

It's hard to make out the final digits in the photo but it ends in 54.

2001 Aug 26 or that is the best I see the code here.

Sounds like my estimate was right. Early 2000s.
How do you decipher it, so I can work it out down the line, AVB?

The first six digits of the code are YYMMDD then a two character factory code.

And the factory I have no idea how its decoded to particular plant.

I'm pretty sure that plant is not in the United States.
Need we say more ha ha?
Going by that, it's a September 2001 build as I checked and it is a 9. A date close to a well known one.

A bit more info. here if you ever need it Mf.

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/e...ufacture-date.html#ManufacturedAfter1965



Cheers
Max.

Thanks maxwestern and thanks AVB. Just what I was after.

Thats interesting, plant codes in the 50s generally indicate chinese manufacture, but as far as I know, they didn't start manufacture of smaller motors until 2003.

Having owned a very early build (july 2003) chinese quantum, its not something I would recommend. It will remain in my head as one of the biggest piles of excrement I have ever had the displeasure of having in the shed

Don't tell me it was one of the last American ones. If that's the case and I had known, I wouldn't have accepted the offer I got today when I sold it.
It wasn't a lowball offer but knowledge would have helped.

Do you recall if it had ribs on the back of the motor? If the back of the motor under the cowl was ribbed, that generally indicates chinese. If it is plain painted metal, its yankee.

Probably was usa made, but it wouldn't be one of the last ones, they didn't move 148cc and 158cc manufacture. Think they initially did 5hp+ motors in china, then the smaller motors went over there around the same time the victa lawnkeeper came out (05 ish).

Yes it was smooth after checking a photo. Ahh well the couple who came were very nice at least, and I got a a bit north of $100 for it. I think they got a very good deal though.