Perkins · Inboard diesel

Perkins 4.236

The Perkins 4.236 is a 3.86-litre four-cylinder direct-injection diesel from Peterborough, England (four cylinders, 236 cubic inches), built from 1964 for tractors, generators and trucks as well as boats; on engines from 1974 the engine number starts with the family code LD. Perkins marinised it at the factory as the 4.236M, later sold as the Perkins Sabre M90 with 81 hp, and it became a standard engine in motor cruisers, fishing boats and ocean-going yachts until the M92 and M115T replaced it around 2000–2002, so the end of production given here is approximate. Perkins’ own history page says the turbocharged T4.236 (code LJ) was offered for every use except marine, yet dealers still list parts for T4.236 engines marinised by other firms; the notes say where a T4.236 part differs. The smaller Perkins 4.108 has its own page.

Manuals & documents
Wear parts & part numbers
Service intervals
Specifications
Good to know
Fitted in
On the marketplace

Manuals & documents

The links go to Perkins’s own documents — some as archived copies of pages the maker has since taken down. We host no manuals or drawings.

Perkins 4.236 Series page: genuine parts, maintenance notes, engine registration Manual portal shop.perkins.com · EN
Perkins My Engine: register your engine for parts books and workshop manuals of older engines Manual portal myengine.perkins.com · EN
Perkins marine technical information: M90 installation drawings (Doc 7115–7117) and handbooks of the successors Manual portal perkins.com · EN
Perkins Sabre M90 installation drawing with ZF Hurth HSW 450A gearbox (Doc 7117: weights, mounts) Installation guide s7d2.scene7.com · PDF · EN
Perkins Sabre M90 installation drawing with Newage PRM 260D gearbox (Doc 7115) Installation guide s7d2.scene7.com · PDF · EN
Perkins Sabre M90 installation drawing with Newage PRM 500 gearbox (Doc 7116) Installation guide s7d2.scene7.com · PDF · EN
Perkins Sabre M90 specifications (archived Perkins Sabre page, 2001) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
Perkins engine number guide PP827: family codes LD = 4.236, LJ = T4.236, year and country codes (archived 2011) Archived maker page web.archive.org · PDF · EN
Jabsco (Xylem) flange-mount impeller pumps: model table incl. 10970 and 10970-21 Spec sheet xylem.com · PDF · EN
Jabsco (Xylem) impeller cross-reference table (1210-0001 = Perkins 0460038) Parts catalogue xylem.com · PDF · EN

Wear parts & part numbers

Part	OEM number	Also fits	Note
Raw water pump impeller	`0460038`^4,1,5,6,2	Jabsco `1210-0001`^1,2,3	For the gear-driven Jabsco sea-water pump (10970 / 10970-21) of factory-marinised 4.236M / M90 engines. 12 neoprene blades on a splined brass insert, 57 mm diameter × 31.5 mm wide, 16 mm shaft.
Pump cover gasket	`0490785`^8,7,1	Jabsco `3298-0000`^1,7	Paper gasket under the six-screw end cover, 76 mm outside diameter; the same gasket as on the Jabsco pump of the 4.108.
Water pump repair kit	`SK268-01`^1,5	—	Jabsco service kit for the 10970 and 10970-21 pumps (Jabsco number; no Perkins number found). One dealer source only.
Pump seal kit	`24880176`⁹	—	Shaft seal of the gear-driven sea-water pump; Perkins lists it as the impeller shaft seal for 4.236 (LD) engines. No source links it to a Jabsco seal number.
Water pump gaskets	`3686D006`^10,11	—	Joint between the sea-water pump and the timing case; Perkins lists it for the 4.236, T4.236, 4.248 and related engines.
Raw water pump	`2488322`^13,14	Jabsco `10970`^1,11,12	Version with 3/4 in NPT threaded inlet and outlet. Perkins fitted both threaded and flanged pumps, so compare the ports on your old pump.
Raw water pump	`2488329`^15,14	Jabsco `10970-21`^5,11,12	Version with 3/4 in square flanged inlet and outlet; dealers list it for the 4.236 Lowline and the M90.
Engine oil filter	`2654403`^16,17,11,18	—	Spin-on filter of later engines, 96 mm diameter, about 130 mm high, 3/4-16 UNF thread. Perkins lists it for the 4.236 (LD) and T4.236 (LJ); it also fits the 4.108 and many 1000 Series engines.
Engine oil filter	`26560090`^20,21,19	Mann `H 827/1 N`¹⁹	Paper element with seal for engines that still have the older canister filter housing.
Drain plug	`0650593`^22,23	—	Sump drain plug for sumps with a 3/4 in parallel thread (most of them); a few sumps take a taper-thread plug. Use a new copper washer. One dealer source only.
Fuel filter (engine)	`4326658`^26,11,12,27replaces 26561117	Delphi `HDF296`^24,25	Element for the CAV/Delphi-type filter head: 88 mm diameter, 20 mm bore, 70 mm high, with sealing rings. Perkins confirms that it replaces 26561117.
Fuel filter (engine)	`2656614`^28,29	—	Perkins ‘Eco’ element without a metal canister, listed by Perkins for the 4.236, T4.236 and 4.108. Which of the two elements fits depends on the filter head on your engine, so compare with the old one.
Fuel lift pump	`ULPK0001`^30,11,12,31	—	For later engines with a four-bolt mounting flange; Perkins lists it for the 4.236, T4.236, G4.236 and 4.248.
Fuel lift pump	`ULPK0011`^11,12,32	—	For early engines with a two-bolt mounting flange. One dealer source only.
Diaphragm kit	`26410087`³³	—	Repair kit (diaphragm and valves) for the fuel lift pump; fits most of the lift pumps used on the 4.236. The dealer also sells it under its own number 165042. One dealer source only.
Thermostat	`2485613`^34,11,12	—	Listed by Perkins for the 4.236 (LD) and T4.236 (LJ) and by a dealer for the 4.236 and M90. Perkins lists several other thermostats for the family, and early engines take a larger 70 mm thermostat, so check the old one or the engine number.
Coolant pump	`U5MW0104`^{35,11,12,36,37}	—	For the naturally aspirated 4.236 and the M90 (single outlet). A few late 4.236 builds use a different pump with a 24.6 mm keyed shaft.
Coolant pump	`U5MW0106`^38,11	—	Two-outlet pump of the turbocharged T4.236 (LJ).
Heat exchanger gasket	`24865061` · `24865062`^39,40,12	—	The two gaskets (joints) of the cylindrical Serck heat exchanger. A dealer sells them together with O-ring 2415836 as the M90 heat-exchanger seal kit.
Heat exchanger end-cap O-ring	`2415836`^41,12	—	O-ring of the Serck heat exchanger; Perkins lists it for the 4.236 (LD) and G4.236.
Exhaust mixing elbow	`37765461`^42,12,43	—	Water-injected outlet bolted to the exhaust manifold of the Lowline 4.236 and the M90 (also M92), for 76 mm (3 in) exhaust hose. The original is aluminium; 316 stainless replacements are sold as equivalents (see tips).
Alternator V-belt	`2614B635`^44,45	—	One of several belts Perkins lists for the 4.236 family (LD, LF, LJ). The length depends on alternator and pulleys: dealers stock 12.5 × 1262, 1350 and 1375 mm and 13 × 1275 and 1300 mm belts for the 4.236, so compare with the old belt.
Cold-start aid (Thermostart)	`2666103`^46,47,48	—	Intake heater in the inlet manifold of the naturally aspirated 4.236 (LD); the T4.236 (LJ) takes 2666110. Comes with spade or screw terminal; marine engines fit it in an insulating sleeve because their electrics are insulated-return (see tips).
Oil filler plug	`2487845`^49,11,12	—	Oil filler cap. Listed by Perkins for the 4.236, T4.236 and related engines and by a dealer for the 4.236 and M90. Dealers sell three cap sizes for the 4.236, so check the old one.
Rear crankshaft seal	`2418F475`^50,51,52	—	Lip-type oil seal of later 4.236 and T4.236 engines. Engines built before about 1978 have a rope-type rear seal instead (see tips).
Gasket set	`U5LT1004`^53,54	—	Top gasket set (head set) for the 4.236, T4.236, 4.248 and 4.2482. Perkins also lists U5LT1014 for the same engines, so order by engine number.

Numbers checked against the sources below on 13 October 2026. Always confirm against your serial number and exact type before ordering.

Service intervals

Task	Interval
Engine oil change	Every 250 h, together with the oil filter (Perkins). Dealer guideline for boats: every 50 h, or at the start and in the middle of each season^55,56
Fuel filter	Every 500 h or yearly (Perkins). Dealer guideline for boats: with every oil change, i.e. every 50 h or at the start and in the middle of each season^55,56
Oil level check	Before every use (dealer guideline)⁵⁶
Anode	Heat exchanger anodes: check regularly, replace before half the zinc is gone (dealer guideline)⁵⁶

The 250 h and 500 h figures are Perkins’ guidance on its 4.236 Series parts page; Perkins’ online handbook lists for marine engines start with the M92, and literature for older engines comes through My Engine. The shorter intervals for boats, the oil-level check and the anode advice are dealer guidelines from Foley Engines, a Perkins dealer (Tech Tip 36).

Specifications

Cylinders	4 in line, four-stroke, water-cooled, direct injection; naturally aspirated (factory marine versions)⁵⁷
Displacement	3.86 l (235.9 cu in)⁵⁷
Bore × stroke	98.4 × 127 mm (3.875 × 5.00 in)⁵⁷
Compression ratio	16:1⁵⁷
Power	Perkins Sabre M90: 59.5 kW (81 hp) maximum; industrial version: 80 hp at 2800 rpm (Perkins)^58,59,60
Injection	Direct injection: CAV DPA rotary injection pump with mechanical all-speed governor, multi-hole injectors^60,57
Cooling	Fresh-water circuit with heat exchanger, belt-driven centrifugal fresh-water pump and water-cooled exhaust manifold; self-priming sea-water pump (Jabsco 10970 type) driven by the timing gears, about 40 l/min at 1500 pump rpm^61,62
Exhaust outlet	Water-injected outlet on the exhaust manifold for 76 mm (3 in) exhaust hose (Lowline 4.236 and M90; dealer figure)⁴³
Thermostat opens at	Early engines: large thermostat of about 70 mm, opening at 78 °C; later engines: 54 mm, opening at 82 °C (dealer figures)⁶³
Valve clearance (cold)	0.30 mm (0.012 in) inlet and exhaust, cold, according to Perkins dealer Foley Engines; Perkins’ own parts page mentions about 0.015 in, so check the workshop manual for your build^64,55
Tightening torques	Cylinder head: 100 lbf ft (about 136 Nm), dealer figure (Foley Engines)⁶⁴
Direction of rotation	Clockwise, viewed from the front⁵⁷
Max. installation angle	Continuous operation up to 20° front end up and 30° sideways⁵⁷
Starting	Intake heater in the inlet manifold; Perkins Sabre quotes starting down to −20 °C^59,46
Weight	M90 wet weight: 346 kg engine only, 443 kg with ZF Hurth HSW 450A, 492 kg with Newage PRM 500D (the Perkins installation drawing with HSW 450A gives 441.7 kg)^57,65
Gearbox	Borg Warner 10-18 (72CR), ZF Hurth HSW 450A, Newage PRM 160D or 500D; the Perkins installation drawings also show the PRM 260D^61,66
Versions	Engine numbers from 1974 start with the family code: LD = naturally aspirated (including the marine M90), LJ = turbo (T4.236), LE = G4.236 (petrol/LPG), LH = C4.236; earlier engines may carry build codes starting with 236⁶⁷
Successor	Perkins Sabre M92 (92 hp, naturally aspirated) and M115T (115 hp, turbo), both based on the Perkins 1000 Series, from around 2000–2002^68,60

Good to know

Read the full engine number before ordering: on engines from 1974 it starts with the family code (LD for the 4.236, LJ for the T4.236, LF/LG for the 4.248 family). Perkins used several versions of many parts across the family, so dealers ask for the full number.⁶⁷
Three things changed during production and decide which part fits: the sea-water pump has threaded or flanged ports, the lift pump a two-bolt or four-bolt flange, and engines built before about 1978 have a rope-type rear crankshaft seal instead of a lip seal, with gasket sets to match. Look at your engine before ordering.^14,11,69
The original aluminium exhaust outlet of Lowline and M90 engines corrodes from the inside and can block, which makes the engine overheat. Check it when the engine runs hot; stainless steel replacements exist.⁴³
Many Perkins heat exchangers left the factory without zinc anodes. Fitting them on the sea-water and coolant sides and changing them before half the zinc is gone keeps broken-off pieces from blocking the tube stack.⁵⁶
Marine 4.236s have insulated-return electrics. When you replace the intake heater, refit its insulating sleeve so the heater is not earthed through the manifold; and on later engines, which stop with a solenoid on the injection pump, choose the solenoid with two spade terminals (plus and minus), not the single-terminal type that earths through the engine.^70,71
Oil capacity, oil grade and the ratings of early 4.236M engines are left out on purpose: Perkins publishes no figures for them online, and dealer figures differ. Fill to the dipstick mark and get the literature for your engine number through Perkins My Engine.^55,72

Fitted in

Boats whose builder lists it as standard or optional equipment:

Oyster 485 — Perkins M90 (Oyster’s model page: Perkins M90, four cylinders, 80 hp; the specification of October 2000 and the dimensions page up to March 2001: ‘Range 4’ M90, 60 kW (80 hp))

On the marketplace

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Sources

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