Perkins oil change frequency?

[tomrobalo1]

Just purchased a very well kept but not new boat which is equiped with a Perkins 4236. The engine has approx. 4750 hours on it and still runs strong with no leaks. My question is at what interval do I need to change the oil? Since I am new to sailing I probably will use the engine more than a more knowledgeable sailor, but I am learning. I just want to continue to treat the engine right.

[Ex-Calif]

I don't have a perkins manual so advice number one is do what the manual says.

If you don't have a manual, go by what my dad said. "You never hurt an engine by changing its oil"

I change the oil on our boat every 3 months or 100 hours. We never reach 100 hours.

Oil not only suffers from combustion contaminates, it also aquires moisture from condensation inside the case. We don't motor much but when we do it is probably flat chat so when the engine is sorking it's working hard.

Anyway - My 2 cents on oil changes.

[CaptHead]

Fossil oils need changing on a usual 100 HR frequency. This includes the filter also. I recommend a high quality diesel oil as it has the additive package needed for combating unburned diesel and other contaminates that are specific to diesel. Never use car oil as it won't protect.

I use Delvac when I go fossel or Rotella and stay away from Dello. Just my experiences with all of them. My engines have well over 3200 hours and I actually use Delvac1 which is 100% full synthetic and change every 200 Hrs.

[anglooff]

Dear Tomrobalo1,

The manual recommends every 200hours or 4 months (whichever comes first).... However the 4236 was used in everything from London Buses, through tractors and lifting machines. Although my boat (new to me) came with both the basic manual and the Marine supplement (the latter is important) on one occassion while away from the boat I needed some information and downloaded it in PDF form from I believe Perkins website( Can't remember). If you experience any difficulty, PM me I shall email you the basic manual in PDF form. However you will need the marine supplement and I seem to remember I couldn't find that.

In any event, personally I use the three month -100 hours regime, which I believe is the most common in the sailing community. ( habit) although the marine supplement also states 200 hours-4 months.

Finally its a very good and powerful engine...

Regards

Alan

[GordMay]

As listed in our “On-Line SHOP MANUALS” (sticky) Thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...uals-8758.html

Perkins 4.108M / 4.107M / 4.99M Workshop Manual
http://www.fujiyachts.net/manuals/Pe...p%20Manual.pdf

Perkins Marine Engine Handbook
http://www.fujiyachts.net/manuals/Pe...20Handbook.pdf

Perkins 4.108M Parts Manual
http://www.fujiyachts.net/manuals/Pe...s%20Manual.pdf

[tomrobalo1]

Thank you all for your information. We actually had the boat out today and were able to sail her for the first time. It was a blast. Did find out that the Whitby 42 does not like to turn when going astern as in "un-docking" from the slip and that with a 20 knot breeze blowing across my slip it is somewhat of a bear to get her back into the slip. All's well that ends well and she is secure in her slip tonight.