How to read serial#

[Alaskamax]

My max2 has a serial number starting with zero. Do I skip the zero. 03393 is 72 or ?

[wedge]

There is a section in a post on here with the #'s that will help you .
I think it is in the max section ?

[wedge]

Just looked and I would say 72 or 73 would be the year you have.
Oh and yes you drop the first 0.

[Alaskamax]

Thank you for that. The zero at the beginning was a little brain teaser. I've been reading up as much as possible but still have a few mysteries to deal with. I can't find anything on the carburetor this 18hp vanguard has. Its a 2barrel side draft with the fuel cutoff solenoid at the bottom of the bowl. I don't know what the air mix screws are supposed to be set at and the motor doesnt say inntek or Nikki or whatever on it either. It appears to be a ghost motor/carb combo

[wedge]

That engine has the rite carb on it as some did have the bigger two barrel on them. The mix screw is under a cap on the side and tuff to get at. If you go on Briggs engine parts site with your engine # you can get a complete tear down on it and the part #'s you may need. Just go under lawn tractor parts site. It is the same engine you would find on a Cub Cadet tractor.
I have the site on my laptop at home so if you still need it let me know and I will get it for you.
You can PM me or I will check up on here .
Hope this helps

[Alaskamax]

This carb has 2 screws on top. 1 for each barrel and easy to access. In messing with the machine further, I've discovered that whoever installed this new motor kinked the exhaust almost in half "lining up" the pipe with the hole they carved in the lower tub that the mounted the muffler next to. The hole and the muffler are below waterline bigtime. My fix will be dual stacks up the left side of the roll bar and some fancy metal strip frame reinforced patchwork on the tub

[ARGOJIM]

Is the spec tag on the engine shrowd? Could be an 18 with a 20hp carb swap or a 20hp with a 18hp air cleaner cover. Look up 6 digit engine code to see what you have. There may be a carb number hiding somewhere also.

I've had the same exhaust issue, seems people believe the stock manifold exiting that way causes people to react in that manner.

[Alaskamax]

Aircleaner is homemade snorkel. Very funky. Guy I got it from claims he gave 1800 for a fresh motor and installed it himself. I think the motor info plate is buried between it and transmission. I've had the carb apart. It was clean as a fresh carb could be. I have to fix the crazy kink in the exhaust before I really know more myself. That and I want to check the valve adjustments. The trailing cylinder sounds fine at idle but dies off rapidly with rpm and it runs weak like a 1 cylinder. The motor sounds strong with no load and struggles after the bottom end with a load

[Alaskamax]

The only positive id I have on the engine is on the pullstart cover. It says 18hp vaguard and nothing else

[Alaskamax]

ArgoJim, I don't understand what you mean about the exhaust thing. Halfway between the muffler(which they mounted outside the tub an below waterline) and the engine, the exhaust pipe was bent by hand in 1 spot so it would line up with a hole that's been butchered into the tub(also below waterline). The pipe is kinked off a hair over halfway.

[Alaskamax]

Figured out what was wrong with my max. The fresh engine I got with it was not. The magneto side crank bearing is just dead enough to take out the oil seal. It was misting a little oil when I got it and I thought it was the very funky snorkel the previous owner made, nope, a few hours of playing in the yard and the low oil sensor shut her down just as the belt started slipping like crazy. Searching for a new bigger vtwin now.