Carbs on a 280?

[KC3]

I would like to get some opinions on putting 245 carbs on a 280. I am new to this so I would like to hear the good bad and ugly. Which carbs are best? performance? cost? This EFI stuff seems to be getting scarce and expensive and will only become more so IMO. :cheers:

[samari]

Your best option would be 260 electronics.

[mach351]

Who would do something CRAZY like that! Hehehe

[mach351]

http://i55.tinypic.com/fz3pu8.jpg

[patchesII]

Why would you say the efi stuff is getting scarce and expensive and will only get worse. Seems to me that would be the case with carbs

[KC3]

Good possability. Love to hear on that too. You can no longer buy a fuel injector from mercury I understand. Are there carb parts problems?

[mach351]

Buying stuff new from mercury is pretty much out of the question....

Lucky for us all the injection parts are available used on here - just keep an eye on the for sale forums. Carb parts are also plentiful. You can go either way depending on how much you want to spend.

[KC3]

I have a 280 with 260 electrics currently. Engine is dissambled and ready to build. Mostly need a brain for it but have most everything else. I am planning on keeping this motor for sometime and the parts suitation concerns me. I know you can get the parts used now. Would the carb stuff be better down the road? What are the best carbs and what is the performance difference there? Can you get the carb stuff from Merc? I am going to end up with a war pension in this motor and the idea that an injector or something else will quit a few years from now and I will have a boat anchor concerns me somewhat.

[mach351]

If you are concerned about using only brand new parts from Merc, maybe you should think about a newer verado or XS motor.... Our 2.5's are a dying breed - Merc has made that clear - if you are not willing to use "used" parts to keep them going it might not be the motor for you.

Carbs and their major components are NLA from Merc for the most part. Of course "tune up" parts (needles, seats, gaskets, ect) are still available from them and the aftermarket. I'm sure a new ECU for your 280 is available from Merc, but I'm sure the price is staggering. A good working used ECU is a much more economic alternative. Or even perhaps a Brucato unit. Injectors can be flowed and brought back into spec - and there are plenty around used.

If all you need is an ECU, I suggest finding one on here. I put carbs on my 280 because I am poor. All I had was a long block, and needed injectors, a rail, a regulator, ECU harness, a reed plate, a horn and linkage, and an ECU and bracket.....and that wasn't in my budget. I had carbs sitting there and it didn't cost me anything. It runs well....as well as an EFI? Most likely not. As much power as an EFI? Most likely not. But it was cheaper, and has pushed my boat 119. If I had all the EFI parts, would I run carbs? Hell No

[KC3]

Cost and availability is why I'm asking. The used parts will run out.

[mach351]

The used parts will LONG outlast what Merc is offering....it already has. But if you want to go by that, go EFI. At least some of those parts are still offered by Merc. Carb stuff (especially WHM series hipo carbs) havent been available from Merc for a long time.

[ddipert]

Used parts will run out your correct about that but look at the alternative parts people come out with.
Tony Brucato came out with the PCU/ACU to replace the Mercury ecu's that are expensive and are no longer in production. As parts dry up alternatives come out. What are you not about to find? Ask the board someone had the parts your looking for.

A manufacture needs to come out with a new (technology speaking) engine that would compete with the older engines (260,280,drag, v6/v8 omc). It would be nice to have more power, less pollution, better fuel consumption and keep the weight down. If someone were to come out with this I would be selling my 260 and drag.

I would go EFI hands down. My EFI motor starts better then any carb motor I have ever run.

[patchesII]

The used parts supply out on the market will far outlast that 280 in my opinion. EFI is better everywhere. If all your needing is an ecu I'd swap it to 260 electronics and put a Brucato box on it.

[bulletbob]

I have two ported 260s' with Brucato ACUs'. EFI is the way to go if you can afford it. The Brucato boxes improved the 260s performance across the board. I don't think we will ever have problems getting parts. New parts maybe, but most of this equipment is rebuildable. My two cents.