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When did they stop using points ignition?
All cars up until 1975 or so used a point type ignition system. After 1975, most cars went to electronic ignition systems. Basically, electronic ignitions were "improved points." The principles were the same and it simplified the ignition system.
Do Briggs and Stratton engines have points?
Since 1982, Briggs & Stratton engines have used a solid-state ignition. Models built before 1982 employed a magneto, points and condenser system to generate spark for the spark plug. If you are using an older model Briggs & Stratton engine that has no spark, you might need to set the points.
How do you tell if you have points or electronic ignition?
It's fairly simple. If you open your hood, be sure your car has a distributor cap with very thick wires coming out of the top and going to each spark plug. If you don't have a standard distributor cap like this, you don't have points. If you do have a standard distributor cap, you can open the cap up and peek inside.
How do I tell how old my Briggs and Stratton engine is?
How Do I Identify a Briggs & Stratton Engine? The Model, Type and Code numbers, stamped directly into the engine, are used to identify our engines. Engines used in lawn mower applications usually have the model numbers stamped directly into the blower housing, muffler heat shield, or a few inches above the spark plug.
Are points better than electronic ignition?
Electronic systems can be unreliable, and unlike points, they will stop working without a warning. A set of points will at least give you a clue, showing such signs as running rough, or maybe they haven't been changed in many years.
How do you convert points to electronic ignition?
When converting from points to electronic ignition, you've got two options. You can either convert your existing distributor, or you can install a new distributor. Advance Auto Parts offers kits that allow you to remove the old points components from inside your distributor and replace them with new ones.
Can points cause no spark?
If no spark is visible, check to see if the points or wires are shorting to ground either at the points or at the primary terminal screw going through the housing. Also check where the contact spring connects to the main frame of the points and make sure the insulator is not melted. 3.
Can you replace points and condenser with electronic ignition?
Electronic ignition does away with the need for a traditional condenser and points, so these need to be removed by unscrewing them from the distributor base-plate.
How do I know if my ignition points are still good?
A 12-volt test light is your best friend when diagnosing ignition problems that keep a car from running. If your car still has points, a tach/dwell meter and a timing light—preferably a dial-back type—are pretty important cousins to your test light when it comes to figuring out why it's running poorly.
How long do Briggs and Stratton engines last?
The average life of a Briggs & Stratton engine is 500 hours. However, commercial engines, such as those made by Briggs & Stratton, are typically built to endure at least 1000 hours. With proper maintenance and everyday use, a lawnmower should last at least 8-10 years.
How do I tell what year my engine is?
It's all in the engine code (sometimes referred to as engine number) and vehicle identification number (VIN). You can find the VIN in the lower corner of your windshield on the driver's side. In the series of numbers and letters, the tenth from the left denotes the model year and the eighth is the engine code.
What does the type number mean on Briggs & Stratton engine?
The first one or two digits indicate the approximate CUBIC INCH DISPLACEMENT. B. The first digit after the displacement indicates the BASIC DESIGN SERIES, relating to cylinder construction, ignition, general configuration, etc. C. The second digit after the displacement indicates ORIENTATION OF CRANKSHAFT.
Does a HEI distributor have points?
The HEI distributor is an inductive-discharge-style ignition, but with the points replaced by a solid-state switching device called an electronic ignition-control module. The module works like an electrical switch, turning power on and off to the ignition coil. This, in turn, causes the coil to generate spark.
How does a Briggs and Stratton ignition system work?
The ignition system coordinates the timing so that the spark will ignite the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber just as it reaches maximum compression in each engine cycle- thus, maximizing the engine's power.
Do 2 stroke motors have points?
The majority of classic 2-strokes have ignition systems that fall into one of two types: contact points inside a flywheel magneto (Villiers and early Japanese engines) and external contact points mounted on an adjustable plate with an internal flywheel.
Does a magneto have points?
The magneto is a self-contained generator of high voltage that provides ignition to an engine through spark plugs. The moment the contact points open, a rapid magnetic flow generates a high voltage in the secondary coil, which ignites the spark plug, thus firing the engine.
What engine was introduced in 1958?
This light aluminum engine improved the ease of use of lawn mowers, snow blowers, and generators, and was further advanced in 1958 with the introduction of Kool-Bore (all aluminum) and Sleeve-Bore engines. The 1970’s brought a fuel shortage to the Unites States and Briggs & Stratton responded to the need to use less gas with the development ...
What was the first stationary type engine?
In the early 1900’s, Briggs & Stratton developed the revolutionary stationary Type “P” engine. This was a game changer in the 4-cycle gasoline engine industry and set the course for Briggs & Stratton to become the world’s largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines. This convenient, portable engine reliably powered many applications of machinery including washing machines, garden tractors, cultivators, and generators. Affordable and readily available, the Type “P” engine empowered people to accomplish whatever they needed to in their daily lives.
What was the fuel shortage in the 1970s?
The 1970’s brought a fuel shortage to the Unites States and Briggs & Stratton responded to the need to use less gas with the development of electric motors and one of the first gas/electric hybrid car prototypes. Briggs continues to makeover the small engine by developing those that boast greater fuel efficiency than industry averages ...
Why did iron foundries pump out engines?
More efficient and much smaller, cities’ iron foundries and machinists worldwide were pumping out engines to sell to everyone from industrialists to farmers. Heavy single-cylinder engines ran on diesel, powering manufacturing facilities on the East Coast to cotton gins in The South.
Who invented the small engine?
History of the Small Engine. James Watt, the Scottish inventor, developer of the concept of horsepower, and namesake of the watt unit of power, expanded on the Newcomen steam engine in the late 1700’s. These innovations minimized physical labor, increased the efficiency of locomotives and ships, and helped bring about the Industrial Revolution in ...
What did Lewis Powell say to the Chamber of Commerce?
Chamber of Commerce urging the business class to become more “aggressive” and “pursue political power.” Business Week recognized the impact of Powell’s call to arms in its October 12, 1974 issue: “Some people will obviously have to do with less … it will be a bitter pill for many Americans to swallow the idea of doing with less so that big business can have more.”
What did Briggs do in the 80s?
Briggs had actually flirted with an alternative strategy. In the late ’80s it announced plans to produce a high-value-added engine for the top end of the market.
What is the story of Briggs?
Briggs embodies the anti-union race to the bottom characterized by contempt for hourly workers, mismanagement and misjudging markets. Briggs managers lost the race, dragging their employees down with them.
Why did Local 232 change the rules?
Local 232 agreed to work rule changes to support the effort because it was a chance to stabilize family-supporting employment in Milwaukee. But Stratton and Shiely excluded workers from participating in the design of the project and treated it as a simple automation experiment.
How much did Todd Teske get paid for his retention?
Despite obvious mismanagement, Briggs’ board of directors in July made “cash retention awards” of $1.2 million to CEO and Chairman Todd Teske, $600,000 to Senior VP Mark Schwertfeger and lesser amounts to other executives.
What company is the largest producer of small engines?
Just days before filing for bankruptcy in July, Milwaukee’s Briggs & Stratton Corp., at one time the largest producer of small engines in the world and employer to 11,000 union production workers making a solid, middle-class living, handed its top executives $5 million in bonuses, calling them “retention awards.”.
Why did Fred Stratton claim the concessions were necessary?
At the time, Fred Stratton, Briggs’ President and CEO, claimed the concessions were necessary because of lower wages paid by foreign competition, singling out Japanese manufacturers. While Briggs’ labor costs were indeed higher, Stratton’s claim was a canard. Japanese companies actually participated in the premium engine market, ...
How can I determine the age of my engine if it was made after 1965?
The engine's code number indicates the exact date it was manufactured. This system provides an easy way to determine the age of your small engine.
How do I determine the manufacture date for my engine if it was made before 1965?
Unfortunately, the process for determining the manufacture date for older engines is not the same since the tracking system with the Code Number was not implemented until 1965. A great source for older and antique Briggs & Stratton engines can be found through the following link - B&S Antique Engine Dating Chart.
What are the problems with Briggs and Stratton engines?
What Are Some Common Problems With Briggs & Stratton Engines? Briggs and Stratton engines are known to develop a few common issues, such as the engine overheating or smoking, the engine not starting at all, and the engine running poorly during use, states the company. These issues are generally repairable by the owner instead ...
Why is my Briggs and Stratton engine overheating?
An overheating Briggs and Stratton engine can have a number of causes. The engine may be dirty and require the removal of dirt and debris during a thorough cleaning. The engine may also be low on oil or need the air-fuel mixture adjusted upward.
Why is my car's air filter not starting?
The air filter may also require cleaning or replacement. A non-starting engine is usually caused by stale fuel, dirt and debris. Replacing the fuel and cleaning the carburetor and spark plugs can often fix the issue.
Overview
Innovations
• The aluminum engine – This was introduced in 1953 as a means of having a lighter-weight engine for applications such as rotary lawn mowers. It was improved five years later in 1958 with the introduction of the Kool-Bore (all aluminum) and Sleeve-Bore (aluminum, with a cast iron cylinder liner).
• Easy-Spin Starting – This compression release, implemented as an extra hump on the intake lobe of the camshaft, was introduced in 1961 to reduce the effort required to …
• The aluminum engine – This was introduced in 1953 as a means of having a lighter-weight engine for applications such as rotary lawn mowers. It was improved five years later in 1958 with the introduction of the Kool-Bore (all aluminum) and Sleeve-Bore (aluminum, with a cast iron cylinder liner).
• Easy-Spin Starting – This compression release, implemented as an extra hump on the intake lobe of the camshaft, was introduced in 1961 to reduce the effort required to start an …
History
In 1908, inventor Stephen Foster Briggs and investor Harold M. Stratton started an informal partnership to capitalize on the growing automobile industry. Eventually Briggs and Stratton settled on manufacturing automotive components and small gasoline engines.
In 1919 Briggs & Stratton purchased the manufacturing rights for a small, simple two-seat vehicle with a gasoline engine called the Smith Flyer from the A.O. Smith Company in Milwaukee. The Flye…
Acquisitions, agreements and joint ventures
• Farymann Diesel GmbH (1979–1984) – Based in Lampertheim (near Mannheim) in Germany, this was the first foreign acquisition Briggs & Stratton had ever made and was a poor fit with the company's acknowledged expertise in high volume, low cost production. They officially completed the acquisition on May 29, 1979. Despite investing in new production methods, Briggs & Stratton never understood the very low volume, highly customized nature of the air-cooled diesel engine …
Logo history
The Briggs & Stratton logo was always a masthead, but it has been changed several times over the course of the company's 80-plus years.
• Pre War logos (1931–1943) – This logo started off with a diamond shape and read Briggs & Stratton and its home city of MILWAUKEE, WIS., U.S.A. below it; in the middle, it had the words 4 CYCLE on the top mast and the words GASOLINE MOTOR and phrase MADE IN U.S.A. on the bot…
Models
• 5 (cast iron) (1950–1957)
• 5S (cast iron; suction carburetor) (1949–1957)
• 6 (cast iron) (1952–1957)
• 6S (cast iron; suction carburetor) (1949–1957)
See also
• Eshelman
• John I. Beggs – former Chairman
Headquarters, manufacturing plants and testing facilities
Briggs & Stratton builds over 9,000,000 engines in the USA each year. The company employs over 3,000 employees in six states. Wauwatosa, WI, is home to the company's headquarters and R&D center. Manufacturing plants are located in Poplar Bluff, MO; Auburn, AL; Statesboro, GA; and Sherrill, NY. The company also has a proving grounds and testing facility located in Fort Pierce, FL.