Briggs and Stratton small (2-7HP) Side Valve (L-Head) engines are mostly fitted to walk behind rotary lawnmowers. They can also be found on a number of other applications such as some rotovators, generators, pressure washers and other portable equipment. They have their crankshaft emerging from underneath the engine and will have a fairly flat front with the spark plug fitted amongst vertical cooling fins.

Briggs and Stratton small (2-7HP) Overhead Valve (OHV and DOV) engines are mostly fitted to walk behind rotary lawnmowers. They can also be found on a number of other applications such as some rotovators, generators, pressure washers and other portable equipment. They have their crankshaft emerging from underneath the engine and will have a metal "Rocker" cover bolted to the front of the engine with the letters "OHV" or "DOV" on it.

Almost all Briggs and Stratton engines are 4 Stroke. This page covers parts for the 4HP vertical crankshaft engine made over a very short period around 1990.