Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.
Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.
Summary
Every part on a washing machine, a lawn mower engine, or a pressure washer pump has its own diagram and its own number, and almost every repair, cross-reference, or online order starts there. This page shows you how to find that diagram on the manufacturer's own site, using your machine's model and serial number, and how to read it correctly. Reading it correctly matters because the small number printed beside a part in the picture is very often not the number you actually order — manufacturers call that small number a reference, an item, or a key number, and a separate, usually longer number is what goes in the shopping cart. Get that wrong and you can spend money on a part that never fits, or on the wrong part entirely.
What this page will not do is hand you a chart mapping one company's part number to another's, or promise that a number you found once will still be correct next year. Manufacturers do replace a part with a new design and a new number, and a part search can keep returning an old number long after the manufacturer has moved on — the only reliable check is to search again, on the manufacturer's own current site, keyed to your exact model and serial number, every time you buy. This page also flags a related risk: parts sold outside a manufacturer's own store or an authorized dealer are, by more than one manufacturer's own account, disproportionately likely to be counterfeit, stolen, or simply the wrong item.
Necessary equipment
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Computer, tablet, or phone with internet access | Use this device to open the manufacturer's own parts website. |
| Pen and paper or a spreadsheet | Record the model number, the serial number, and the order number together. |
| Camera or phone optional | Photograph the diagram and the part number for your own record. |
| Magnifying glass optional | Use this tool to read small or worn print on a diagram or on a plate. |
| Old or worn part, if you have it material | Compare this part's own printed number with your order number. |
Find your model and serial number
Estimated 2 min to 6 min
- Find the model number of your machine.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Find your model and serial number
- If you made an equipment record before, read the model number from it.
- If you have no record, read the model number from the plate on the machine.
- Find the serial number of your machine.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Find your model and serial number
- The serial number is often on the same plate as the model number.
- Toro states that some products carry a separate plate for an attachment.
- If you cannot find a plate, open the operator manual for your machine.1mReport a problem with step 3, Find your model and serial number
- Toro states that the operator manual gives the plate's location.
- Toro states that a dealer can identify your machine when the manual does not help.
Open the manufacturer's own parts lookup
Estimated 2 min to 4 min
Source: Honda Power Equipment - Parts Look Up · tier 1 · accessed 2026-08-04
USE THE MANUFACTURER'S OWN WEBSITE OR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR YOUR PARTS SEARCH.
A different website can show an old part number or the wrong part.
- Open the manufacturer's own website for your machine.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Open the manufacturer's own parts lookup
- Make sure that the web address shows the manufacturer's own name.
- A similar name in the address can belong to a different company.
- Enter the full model number in the parts search field.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Open the manufacturer's own parts lookup
- GE Appliances states that a partial number returns a list of models.
- Select the complete model number for your own machine from that list.
- Enter the serial number too, if the search field has a place for it.<1mReport a problem with step 3, Open the manufacturer's own parts lookup
- Honda Power Equipment states that one model number can cover several versions of a machine.
- Honda states that the serial number gives the closest match to your exact machine.
Read the reference number from the diagram
Estimated 4 min to 10 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
Source: How Can I Find Part Numbers for Engine Replacement Parts? · tier 1 · accessed 2026-08-04
- Open the parts list or the assembly diagram for the correct section.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Read the reference number from the diagram
- GE Appliances states that this diagram appears after you select a model and a section.
- Find the picture of the part that you need in the diagram.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Read the reference number from the diagram
DO NOT ORDER THE SMALL NUMBER PRINTED BESIDE THE PART IN THE DIAGRAM.
This number usually marks a position on the diagram, not the part to order.
- Read the small number printed next to that part in the diagram.<1mReport a problem with step 3, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Manufacturers call this number a reference number, an item number, or a key number.
- Briggs & Stratton calls this number the Reference Number on its own diagrams.
- Find the part list next to or below the diagram.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Briggs & Stratton states that the part list can sit further down the page than the diagram.
- Match the small number from the diagram to the same number in the part list.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Read the order number given for that item in the part list.<1mReport a problem with step 6, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Briggs & Stratton states that this order number is usually six or eight digits long.
- This order number is longer than the small number printed in the diagram.
- Some items have more than one order number, one for each type or code.<1mReport a problem with step 7, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Briggs & Stratton states that an engine part can have a separate order number for each type or code number.
- Match your own machine's type or code number to the correct order number.
- If the list does not show your type or code number, use the first order number.<1mReport a problem with step 8, Read the reference number from the diagram
- Briggs & Stratton calls this first order number the master number.
Make sure the number is correct before you buy
Estimated 2 min to 6 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
DO NOT TREAT AN OLD PART NUMBER AS CURRENT WITHOUT A NEW CHECK.
A manufacturer can give a part a new number over time.
- Write the order number.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Make sure the number is correct before you buy
- Compare the order number with a number printed on your old part, if you have it.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Make sure the number is correct before you buy
- Match every character between the two numbers.
- The digit 0 and the letter O are different characters.
- Search the order number again on the manufacturer's own parts lookup.1mReport a problem with step 3, Make sure the number is correct before you buy
- Do this again, even if you already have a number from a saved page or an old search.
- This new search shows if the number is still correct for your machine.
- If the current search gives a different number, use the new number instead.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Make sure the number is correct before you buy
- A changed result can mean the manufacturer replaced the part with a new design.
Buy the part
Estimated 2 min to 10 min
Source: Genuine Appliance Parts for Repair and Replacement · tier 1 · accessed 2026-08-04
BUY THE PART FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S OWN STORE OR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER.
GE Appliances states that a part sold by an individual seller or an online auction is most likely not genuine.
- Buy the part from the manufacturer's own store or an authorized dealer.2mReport a problem with step 1, Buy the part
- GE Appliances states that it does not sell parts through individual sellers or online auctions.
- GE Appliances states that a part from those sources is most likely counterfeit, stolen, or not genuine.
- Ask an authorized dealer to make sure that your part number is correct before a large order.1mReport a problem with step 2, Buy the part
- Honda Power Equipment states this as its own advice before you place an order.
Record your findings
Estimated 1 min
- Write the model number, the serial number, and the order number together.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Record your findings
- Keep this written record for your next repair.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Record your findings
Terminology
This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.
- exploded parts diagram
- Also called: exploded view, exploded diagram, blow-up diagram, assembly diagram, illustrated parts list, IPL, parts breakdown
- part number
- Also called: part #, order number, SKU, catalog number, service part number, OEM number
- reference number
- Also called: item number, key number, index number, callout number, balloon number
- superseded part number
- Also called: old part number, discontinued part number, replaced part number, part number changed
- authorized dealer
- Also called: authorized service dealer, official dealer, authorized retailer
When to use a professional
Stop if you cannot find the model number or the serial number for your machine. Contact the manufacturer's own customer service for help.
Stop if the manufacturer's parts lookup gives no result for your machine. Contact an authorized dealer. Do not guess at a part number.
Stop if the part belongs to a gas, an electrical, or another safety-rated system. Ask the manufacturer or a qualified technician to make sure that the part is correct before you order.
Do not install a part before you make sure it matches the manufacturer's own parts lookup. A wrong part can damage your machine or fail to work.
Common questions
What is an exploded parts diagram?
It's a picture of a machine's parts pulled apart and spread out, so you can see how each piece fits with the others — sometimes called an exploded view, a blow-up diagram, or an illustrated parts list (IPL). Manufacturers publish these for almost every appliance, engine, and piece of outdoor power equipment, usually free once you enter your model number. Next to or below the picture is a parts list, which is where the number you actually order lives; the diagram shows you what the part looks like and where it goes, and the list tells you what to buy.
Where do I find the parts diagram for my machine?
Start on the manufacturer's own website — most major appliance and outdoor power equipment brands run a dedicated parts section, like GE Appliances' parts search or Toro's parts and manuals lookup — rather than a general search engine, which will just as often send you to a reseller. Enter your model number, and if the site asks, your serial number too; Honda Power Equipment says one model number can cover several versions of a machine, and the serial number is what pins down the exact one you own. If the manufacturer doesn't sell parts to individuals directly, as Honda's power equipment division currently does not, the same lookup will usually tell you which authorized dealer to contact.
The number printed next to the part in the diagram doesn't match anything when I search for it. Why?
Because it's very likely the wrong number to search — manufacturers commonly label the picture with a short reference number, sometimes called an item or a key number, that only marks a position in the diagram. Briggs & Stratton's own support documentation is explicit about this for its engines: the reference number, one to four digits, points you to a separate service part number, usually six or eight digits, in a list next to or below the picture, and it's that longer number you actually order. Scroll past the picture itself if you don't see a numbered list right away.
I found a part number online, but the manufacturer's own site says it's discontinued or gives me a different number. What do I do?
Use the number the manufacturer's current site gives you, not the one you started with. Manufacturers do replace parts with new designs over time, and a part number that used to work can keep showing up in old pages, cached search results, and forum posts for years after the manufacturer has stopped using it. The only reliable habit is to re-check the number against the manufacturer's own current parts lookup, keyed to your exact model and serial number, every time you're about to buy — not to trust a number from memory or from a bookmark, however recently you used it.
Is a cheaper part with a similar-looking number the same part?
Not necessarily, and the packaging alone won't tell you. GE Appliances is blunt about this in its own guidance: parts and water filters sold through individual sellers or online auction sites, rather than the manufacturer's own store or an authorized dealer, are most likely counterfeit, stolen, or simply not genuine, even when they claim otherwise. Match every character of the part number, not just the general shape of it, and if in doubt, buy from the manufacturer's own store or a dealer it names.
My machine has no visible model number or serial number tag. Now what?
Check the operator manual or the quick-start guide first — Toro, for one, tells owners to look there when the physical tag can't be found or has worn off. If that doesn't turn up an answer, the next step most manufacturers recommend is an authorized service dealer, who can usually identify a machine from the unit itself rather than from a label. Don't guess at a model number from a similar-looking machine you found online; a wrong guess is exactly how the wrong part ends up on order.
Related procedures
- How to find and record the model and serial number of every appliance in the house
- What size blade fits my mower, and how do I check the length, center hole and mounting pattern before I buy a replacement?
- What size filter do I need, and is a generic or cross-reference filter really the same as the OEM part?
- How do I decode the date code on my appliance and find out how old it is
- How to check if something you own has been recalled
- Identify a lost power adapter from the equipment's own marking, and match a replacement
- How do I work out what size bolt this is, and what do the lines on the head mean?
- What chain fits my chainsaw? How to check pitch, gauge, and drive link count
Sources
Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.
- Tier 1Toro Model & Serial Number Lookup Help
- Tier 1GE Appliance Parts - Accessing Parts List or Diagram
- Tier 1How Can I Find the Engine Serial / Model Number, Type & Trim?
- Tier 1How Can I Find Part Numbers for Engine Replacement Parts?
- Tier 1Genuine Appliance Parts for Repair and Replacement
- Tier 1Honda Power Equipment - Parts Look Up
Revision history
Current version 1 · updated 2026-08-04 · next review due 2027-08-04
- v1 · 2026-08-04First draft. Scope is identification only: finding the model and serial number, opening the manufacturer's own parts lookup rather than a reseller, reading the exploded diagram, and telling the diagram's short reference/item/key number apart from the longer order number, sourced to Briggs & Stratton's own explanation of Reference Number versus Service Part Number for its engines and generalized carefully in the record's own words with that attribution named. The supersession trap (an old part number that still returns search results after the manufacturer has replaced the part) is handled as an unverified instruction to re-check the number against the manufacturer's own current lookup every time, because no manufacturer source was found stating a specific old/new number pair with enough authority to publish as fact; the record does not invent one. The counterfeit-parts caution is sourced to GE Appliances' own genuine-parts page, which states in its own words that it does not sell through individual sellers or online auctions and that parts from those channels are most likely counterfeit, stolen, or not genuine. Six sources across four manufacturers (Toro, GE Appliances, Briggs & Stratton, Honda Power Equipment); one (the Toro model/serial lookup page) is already registered in data/sources.json, the other five are newly proposed in data/sources-additions-find-a-parts-diagram-and-a-part-number-for-a-machine-you-own.json pending admission. No competitor page was opened while researching or drafting.
Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.
Comments and corrections
Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.
Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.