Volvo Penta Serial & Model Number Guide

Every Volvo Penta engine carries a model/serial label. Here is where to find it, what each part of the number means, and how to use it for parts, service and age.

Where to find it: the engine plate, mounted on the right side of the engine block (genset/industrial engines) or on the port side of the flywheel housing just below and aft of the exhaust manifold (marine/sterndrive engines). It carries the engine model, specification number and serial number.

What the number means

Worked example — TAD722GE:

Part	Meaning	Detail
`T`	Turbocharger	Present = turbocharged.
`A`	Charge air cooling	A = air-to-air charge air cooler (CAC); W = water-to-air CAC instead (e.g. TWD engines).
`D`	Fuel	D = diesel engine.
`722`	Engine size / series	Series/size index — roughly tracks displacement class within a family (e.g. the 520/620/720 series spans ~5.2-7.4 L); not a literal displacement figure.
`G`	Application	G = generating-set engine; marine engines instead carry V (stationary and mobile industrial use).
`E`	Emissions certification	E = emissions-certified variant of the base engine.

Using the serial number

The type designation (e.g. TAD722GE) identifies the engine family and application; the engine plate's serial number identifies the individual unit for parts and service records. Volvo Penta does not publish a serial-to-build-date formula in its own engine identification material — quote the model/specification number and serial together when ordering parts or requesting service history.

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Decode rules verified against: Volvo Penta operator's manual (7745202, downloaded from volvopenta.com) "Identification numbers" page, cross-checked against Volvo Penta's own TD/TAD series technical data sheet for the T/A/W/D/G/E designation key. Figures are for reference; confirm against the official documentation for your exact unit.