NOS Short Blocks

[creia]

I purchased a NOS Briggs 4 HP horizontal shaft, 100000 Model Series short block, Briggs part # 299251. The photos the seller provided were clear and helpful, and the short block even comes in the original Briggs box. I would estimate this short block to be at least 30-40 years old, based on the style of engine. Here are my questions:
1) Did Briggs apply any type of assembly lube on the critical short block internals when these originally left the factory, or were they assembled dry?
2) If they did, what do you think the condition of the lube would be after all these years? (maybe now all dried up or hard hard as a rock?)
I am wondering if we should do a complete disassembly, reapply assembly lube, then reassemble all BEFORE this engine is even ran? That is what my son and I do on all the vintage engines we rebuild and rebore. What would you "pros" do?
Thanks for any help,
Michael

[bgsengine]

Nah they do use an assembly lube (ordinary motor oil) and there will still be some tiny amount of oil still inside - Unlikely that oil will have dried up over the years I would start by slowly turning it over by hand with tape removed from the block and observe piston, rings and valves for operation, a teaspoon of oil on top of piston and dump in whats left of the quart to the engine )make sure all holes blocked off , tip engine on side to overfill) and you can "slosh" the oil around all over everything, turn engine over several times by hand and drain out all the oil through a spray paint filter - watch for any rust discoloration or etc being filtered out - if no rust (might be a few flakes of aluminum in a new block) then you're golden. I very much doubt, if the box is still sealed and/or the original tape is still in place over the cylinder and valve box (and ports) and box does not show any signs of water damage, I am quite sure you'd be just fine just turning engine over with a bit of oil in the cylinder, and fresh oil before starting up.

The old short blocks were assembled with oiled parts and any steel parts often got a spray of an anti-oxidant lubricant similar to white grease I have had engines sit in a shed for 30 years , pull them out and they fired right up good as new

Of course, if you're the superbly OCD type that just can't stand taking (relatively) safe assumptions as I noted above, you could of course do a tear down, but I'll lay 10 to 1 odds the engine is pristine as long as the original packing (tape which when removed probably has some of that antioxidant grease stuck to it) is all in place

[creia]

Thank you Brian,
I (always) appreciate your input. Based on the photos provided by the seller, the box is not sealed and there was not any tape over the cylinder or valves. If there ever WAS any tape over those areas it was removed as evidenced by the photos provided by the seller clearly showing those areas. Everything looked to be very clean and shiny except I did notice that the bore had some VERY LIGHT brownish (surface rusting?) stains in a couple of areas. As far as me being "... a superbly OCD type..." I am probably guilty as charged. My profession as a building inspector for the last 30 years (only 3 more years to go!) has probably directly helped to develop that trait and made me anal retentive during the process as well. As evidenced and obvious by my questions, I have never purchased a small engine short block before, much less a NOS unit that is 30-40 years old.
Michael

[bgsengine]

Yeah. obviously box would have to be opened for photos, and probably tape removed for same reason, but, if they know anything at all, they would likely have put the tape back in place as it was.

I wouldn't worry too much about brown stains in Photos - if the lighting is right, a color that isnt even visible to the naked eye can show up in a photo you will just have to have a bit of trust and before leaving your feedback, and before doing anything else, you want to know what to check for in the way of details - the box would have the shortblocck's part number, engine model numbers, etc - when you first open the box you should find all original packaging and the gasket set an small parts kits, original packaging usually includes a cardboard "lid" over the top and a paid of triangular wedge inserts that fit down over the crank an keep block centered (horizontal shaft blocks anyway) - more or less similar to all that and engine appearing to match the box and numbers on the box you probably have a nice original untouched short block If not I'd take some care to carefully inspect things - It is not unheard of for someone to take any old block and "rebuild" it if they have parts enough to make it appear new, or taking a warranty engine (or not warranty but new - I.E. with a broken rod due to not putting oil in it when they first buy it) and "rebuild" it to match - but engines like that, you would have a very hard time making it look new to someone who has seen a new short block before (gasket impressions on surfaces,, you can tell when bolts have been run into the threads, some holes in a new block will not be threaded at all since they take self-threading bolts, and so on)

[creia]

I should have it in about a week. I'll report back with my observations once I receive it and have had a chance to inspect it.
Michael

[creia]

UPDATE:
We received the short block yesterday. It is INDEED a NOS 4 HP short block in fabulous condition. We purchased it for $ 95.00 shipped which I believe is a very good price. This block is really cool- kind of a "time capsule". We are trying to get an idea of how old it is. Does anyone have an idea of when Briggs stopped making these NOS short blocks? It is a points and condenser block.
Michael

[RoyM]

It has to be from the early 80's at best if it accepts points. IIRC L-head production stopped round 2010.

[bgsengine]

Does it have the original box with the part number label on it? There will be a date code.

[creia]

Thank you for the replies gents- much appreciated.
It did come with the original Briggs box. I "MAY" have found the date code you mentioned Brian...
On the bottom of the box is stamped (in red): Printed by C Morgan And Crew
4 25 83

One side of the box has a large logo (in red) that states: 4 Cycle Engines
Briggs and Stratton
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
USA
Most Respected Name In Power

The other side of the box has (in red): 299251
Short Block Assembly
M 318

Regards,
Michael

[bgsengine]

Thank you for the replies gents- much appreciated.
It did come with the original Briggs box. I "MAY" have found the date code you mentioned Brian...
On the bottom of the box is stamped (in red): Printed by C Morgan And Crew
4 25 83

One side of the box has a large logo (in red) that states: 4 Cycle Engines
Briggs and Stratton
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
USA
Most Respected Name In Power

The other side of the box has (in red): 299251
Short Block Assembly
M 318

Regards,
Michael

OK well with the 4-25-83 being the date the box itself was printed , you at least have an idea that it cannot be older than 1983 (though the block could be a bit older potentially) By date code I meant if there was a white part number label sticker giving the actual part number , (as with any other briggs OEM part) and under that you would find a 4-digot number like 8312 perhaps - that would put it to the 12th week of 1983 - the date code has not changed in years and I have a (very old) box laying around from 1985 using that same date code format (not a short block box) and that format is still in use to this day on OEM briggs packaged parts Of course if the part number is pre-printed on the box (no labels of any kind otherwise?) then it would not have that date code on it as the boxes could have been printed long before (or after) the short block itself was manufactured but I seem to recall the short blocks having an additional sticker label to identify them for inventory purposes (might have peeled off long since, adhesive dries out, etc)

You might find date codes on the "small parts" package or gaskets package that come with the block giving you a closer idea to when the block was built