Help with year of manufacture

[Argee 15]

Need a little help finding the date of manufacture of a Simplicity Sovereign Series 18 Hydro that I purchased a couple months ago. It is a model # 1692143 with a serial # 2310...It was represented as a '98 and I had no reason to doubt that until I had a the occasion to look at the engine specs. It has a Kohler CH18S.....serial # 2307200287. According to the Kohler service manual that engine was manufactured in '93. I looked at the back of the Operation Manual and it has '94 date stamp. I'm wondering if I got snookered on the year. Anyone have any ideas on this?

Edited December 15, 2016 by Argee
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[PhanDad 3,617]

I believe the MFG#1692143 Sovereign 18 was the first model carrying that designation, it replaced the 17GTH-L "Sovereign". 

MFG#1692143 first appears in the 1993 Simplicity Electrical Information Manual.  It is also listed in the 1994 version; but not the 1995 version.

It's very possible your tractor didn't sell until 1998.  They weren't fast sellers and many dealers had them sitting for years.

 

[Argee 15]

That's certainly a plausible explanation. I guess in the big scheme of things it doesn't matter. It doesn't make the tractor run any better or worse. I just expect people to be honest in their dealings with others. Hopefully he was also unaware of date of manufacture.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Argee

[Talntedmrgreen 1,978]

Most folks selling a lawn tractor simply go with what their memory tells them, or what they have been told by someone else.  In a machine like that, condition rules the transaction anyway.  I only feel like a seller is intentionally misrepresenting age, when the machine is collectible, and presumably more valuable, due to it's birthday.  For example, everyone selling a Wonderboy 700 will call theirs a '59, first production year, because it does sound more appealing to a vintage collector.  In reality, I've seen numerous WB700's in person, and none have had an engine in them older than 1960.  For the guy looking for that '59 to add to his collection, driving up to see a '60 can be a let down.  Heck, for a long time, I called mine a '59 out of ignorance. 

[Argee 15]

I pride myself in being a good judge of character in people. That being said, I feel that the fella I purchased this from was forthright and honest about this transaction. He told me that he hadn't used it in years. He said the mower deck was disassembled and that he in fact, he had lost a couple of parts for it. He admitted that he was not real handy and had just replaced the machine with another.  (Looking around I could see a newer model John Deere sitting out that he used for mowing.) I looked it over closely, checked the fluid levels for full and clean. The engine oil was dirty but not murky....the hydro fluid was clean and full. Steering was tight. It started readily, moved forward and backward without incident. It was solid and needed a little TLC. It was evident that it had recently washed off and the paint was discolored on the hood where a box or something had been setting on it for a while.  I liked what I saw and made and offer, he accepted and I brought it home. All in all it was a fair deal other than the year that was promoted. Based on your reactions I probably won't lose any sleep over it!

When I got it home I took a day and gave it a good cleaning with compressed air. Disassembled the air baffles from the engine so as to give it a thorough cleaning too. The fins were packed with years of dirt and debris stirred up from mowing, so I guess routine maintenance wasn't his strong suit.  Changed engine oil and filter. Creeped a little in neutral so I adjusted linkage. Idles a little rough so I wanted to order a gasket set for carb and that is what led me to the engine serial # and subsequently the model year discrepancy. All in all it's in really good shape. Come spring I'm going to change the fluid in the hydro...but I have to find TWO filters. The one on the side of transmission and one I found underneath when I was lubricating and cleaning. (I can't find any info in the manual on the bottom filter as far as a part #....anyone else run across this?)

Edited December 15, 2016 by Argee

[Mike_H 92]

Well, because its a 93, you actually have a "better" tractor.  I think in 98 sometime is when they started using the Triad over the Command...

[gravey72 58]

Like others have said its hard to know the manufacture date. Parts are produced in mass quantities and they'll keep using them till they run out. I have found that most will have the date on the side of the gas tank if you take it out. But again that tells you when the tank was made...Like Josh said the condition is whats important, its not like a car where the year is important, use the nameplates for parts etc.

[Argee 15]

Thanks all for your great input. Makes me feel better with the purchase as it puts things in perspective. I was just a little taken back when I discovered the year discrepancy.