260 or 280

[R.I.P.]

I have been looking to up my top speed. I can rebuild motors or fix thing on my own.
I run about 50 hours a year. I would like to be around 90mph on my Venus. Now What are the major differances between the 260 and the 280 other than HP .Would one be more prone to repair? What years are the best models. I cant seem to find good info on internet. Just looking into what to look for? I could save money on buying a 260 but not if they break more than the 280. Any help.

[rhickox]

If u want it to scream, put drag electrics on it.. if u want reliability, leave the 280 electrics on it.. Top pin pistons is also a more reliable motor.. Pretty sure the 280 and the drag blocks are the exact same other than the port timimg and maybe a little more work in the exhaust chest.. I do know my 2005 280 had 5 petal reed cages and the big rods.. Don't remember what year they switched from the 7 to the 5 petal and also the small rods to the big ones...

[keane]

In stock form, the 280 has a 60 amp charging system in the form of an alternator, the 260 only has a 16 amp system that needs to turn some RPMs to work well. So if you're planning on high electrical loads like a big stereo or pumps for bait wells, or lots of idle time, the 280 works better. In stock form the 280 has a more updated ECM that does better with cold starts, idle speed, etc. without the need for a lot of operator tuning. Once you start talking about modified powerheads, all bets are off because there is just two many variable to compare them accurately. Most guys that like to race and and run high RPMs run 260 electronics on either powerhead as most agree that the 280 ignition system falls off after about 8200-8500 RPMs. I don't have any personal experience turning more RPMs than that, so I can't attest to that myself. The 280's electrical system is just an ECM,alternator, trigger, coil packs and sensors, the 260s also uses a stator, some switch-boxes and other stuff (but lacks an alternator) , which in my opinion is more to go wrong and harder to troubleshoot.

Essentially, the 280 was the replacement for the 260 and had more modern technology incorporated into it. So if your planning on keeping it stock and not racing it, I think the 280 is a better choice. But I'm sure there are people with a different opinion.

Things to keep in mind... If you get a 280, you'll want one with top pinned pistons. After a certain model year, that I can't remember, all 280s came with top pinned pistons from the factory, but before that they did not and had some problems. Usually, if it's an older one that came with side pin pistons and has been rebuilt, it would have been changed to top pinned pistons, but you'll want to make sure. There are also two different EMCs, the consumer box and the ROS box. The consumer box has a rev limiter set at 7750 and the ROS is 8200. Either box can be modified to change the limiter, but it's expensive.

[patchesII]

After 01 had top pin pistons. I'd pick the 280 with 260 electrics

[Da Bull]

I agree with Patches. That Motorola ignition that comes on the 280 is subject to headaches. From what i`ve seen if you get a good one it`s trouble free but if you get a lemon it will drive you nuts. I like the 260 electrics and mated with a 280 it`s a real runner.

DB

[keane]

I agree with Patches. That Motorola ignition that comes on the 280 is subject to headaches. From what i`ve seen if you get a good one it`s trouble free but if you get a lemon it will drive you nuts. I like the 260 electrics and mated with a 280 it`s a real runner.

DB

Yea, I would add that if you're gonna trouble shoot a 280 with stock electronics, you should have access to a DDT. The DDT reports any sensor malfunctions that have happened, any failed plugs, temps, sensor readings, allows you to test each injector for function (not flow), each coil and spark plug for function etc and does a self diagnostic on it's own unit. You can also run the engine and do a live diagnostic to search for things such as what RPMs that intermittent problems are occurring, etc. You can even search for intermittent bad connection or wires by wiggling the wires and pressing on connections while the DDT monitors for changes. If the ECM hooked to a DDT can't find a problem in the electronics, then either problem is the ECM or you don't have an electronics problem at all. Maybe if I had more experience with 260 electronics, I would feel differently. Plenty of guys do.

[R.I.P.]

Now that alot of information. So a top pined 260 for a few thousand less maybe the way to go?
How often should the rebuild be in hours. I do around 50 hours a year

[keane]

Now that alot of information. So a top pined 260 for a few thousand less maybe the way to go?
How often should the rebuild be in hours. I do around 50 hours a year

Hmmm... out of the 4 of us that answered your post, all of use said we would go with the 280 motor, not the 260. Just one guy said 280 motor with 280 electronics for reliability and 280 motor with 260 electronics for speed. Two others said 280 motor with 260 electronics, and I said 280 motor with 280 electronics.

Either way, they are both good motors and the proper way to check for ring wear is with a leak down tester. But the typical idea is a re-ring somewhere in the neighborhood of 100-120 hours. You might get more out of it depending on how you use it but you would need to use a leakdown tester to be certain. If you run the rings past their useful life, you'll damage the nikasil and the rebuild starts to get expensive quickly.

[Jay Smith]

Its all according to the electrical demands of the engines purpose. 280 with stock electrics on a recreational rig is bullet proof and would be my choice.

And BTW: I've witnessed just as many head aches with 260 electronics as a 280 ..

Jay

[Rayzor]

Spend the extra money and get a 280. Leave it stock and it should give you years of trouble free service.

[rhickox]

I can honestly say mine never hiccuped not once!! Except during the time I was running the Champion QL77CC plugs which Merc ditched for the NGK's.. The ECM tells u a LOT of info.. Hours on motor, even time spent at every imaginable rpm range. It will also show a lot of diagnostic info if u have the DDT box to hook to it. It allows u to adjust fuel curve with the touch of a button instead of the potentiometer manual adjustment on the 260 digital boxes.. It's really a user friendly Hi Performance motor.. Just don't stretch the hours much past the recommended rebuild interval. Spend the money on rings and bearings and a close inspection, or spend a LOT of money when it destroys the plated cylinders.. And have the injectors cleaned and flowed every year or you will have a ticking time bomb!!!

[racerx]

280s were ment to run,throw the stock electrics in the garbage,take a good ecu send it out and be recurved, the motor will purr and haul ass,and you will be able to run under 8000rpm all you want, and when ya want to turn over 9000 with a 24 pitch prop and run 109mph its there on a lightweight boat,i have owned 3 280s with stock electrics and they should of called them drags,as in dragin ass,compared to 260 electrics...

[rhickox]

You are correct, but I don't think he's gonna see those kinda rpm's on a Heavy Venus. He has a recreational boat.. Not a lightweight..

[eli]

hours on re ring job ,i used to run my motors like a fishing motor keep rpm 4000 to 6500 rpm most of the time with many bursts to top end and it still was ready at 100 to 115 hours ,so now run it much harder 5000 to 8000 and it is same 100 to 115 hours .

[rev.ronnie]

I have a Venus, and a 260.
I'm glad the 260 is not on the Venus...

I put about about 30 hours on my 260 last year...and went through about $1500.00 worth of fuel. The same time in the Venus with a 200 was about $400.00 worth of fuel.

You gotta consider the cost to operate too. Fuel is only half the battle, then there is freshening, injector service, etc.

[props4u2]

The 280's had side pin pistons until mid year 2002.

[R.I.P.]

How fast is the Hst with the 260. I heard the Hst is heavyer than Venus.
Franky mole has or had a Vegas with a 280 going over 105.
I'm not looking to go that fast but around 90 is cool. Some guy had a Venus with a 225 he clamed 94 . Who knows . Gas is pricey but speed is a reward. Can I bolt a 280 or 260 to stock mid ? Would a 96 200 lower work. It has lwpu .

[keane]

How fast is the Hst with the 260. I heard the Hst is heavyer than Venus.
Franky mole has or had a Vegas with a 280 going over 105.
I'm not looking to go that fast but around 90 is cool. Some guy had a Venus with a 225 he clamed 94 . Who knows . Gas is pricey but speed is a reward. Can I bolt a 280 or 260 to stock mid ? Would a 96 200 lower work. It has lwpu .

There is a lot of weight variation between some of the HSTs. My 88 HST would run 91 with a 2.4 Bridgeport that supposed to be around 240 hp. It ran 96 with a 280. It really didn't have enough setback to fly right or get good top end numbers. I have heard of a few guys running over 100 with a 260, but I don't know if they were stock. There was a guy on here, I think it was Bawlzy that ran 104 with what I believe was a 260 but again I don't know if it was stock. But top end speed is not just a factor of weight, the hull design has a lot to do with it. And air entrapment hulls do not perform the same as v bottoms. I don't know what kind of hull you have.

[R.I.P.]

Its a mod tunnel. xt hull. it flys now with a 200 fully out of the water.
Turnning a 28p at 6900 to 7k motor rpm

[R.I.P.]

251177251178

[keane]

Its a mod tunnel. xt hull. it flys now with a 200 fully out of the water.
Turnning a 28p at 6900 to 7k motor rpm

You said in your first post, you were looking to get about 90 MPH with a 260 or 280. If you're turning a 28p at 7000 with a 200, you are doing pretty good and I would think you're close to 90 now with 10% slip, unless something is really wrong with your setup. That seems pretty fast to me for a boat the size of yours with a 200 on it. Maybe you are running a 2:1 lower unit or something; even that would put you at about 82. What kind of speed are you getting out of it?

[rhickox]

Ran 107 gps with mine, with a stock 2005 280. Had a 12 in manual plate along with a 6 in hydraulic... I feel like it had more mph in it, but sold it before i got to play with the setup more.. It was not a lightweight.. The heavy ones like a LOT of setback..

[motorheadbishop]

Ran 107 gps with mine, with a stock 2005 280. Had a 12 in manual plate along with a 6 in hydraulic... I feel like it had more mph in it, but sold it before i got too scared of it.. It was not a lightweight.. The heavy ones like a LOT of setback..

WOW... Ryan!!!!!:p

[rev.ronnie]

My HST ran 104 for the last owner. I have had it way up in the 90's and it gets there quick, but I have always had a passenger. I did not have proper safety equipment last year to really try to run it up to the ragged edge. I do now...:) mine is a mid weight hull, the deck is real light.

[rhickox]

I didn't say I was "scared" of it!! You made that change somehow!! lol!!:cool:.. I can say at about 90 mph or so, the boat lifted and felt like it caught 2nd gear... Then over 100 before ya know it!! Balzy helped me a lot with setup!!!!

[R.I.P.]

I dont know my speed but the bost is flying. i had a 26 chopper and it was wanting to fly. It would speed up then grabing then slowing down. Just not enough speed for air intrapment to start to work .I went to a 28 hydromotive hoss offshore cut and now im just under 7k. I did change the lower to a 96 custom nosecone built in tab molded cooling crossover .and it bends framed glasses LOL.
Im not going faster then 85mph I dont think..maybe . I would like to get a more powerfull motor only because my motor or power is finacky.
If Im running against the current she slows down by 10 mph If the wind is the wrong way add 5mph loos .Im thinking a 260 or 280 would be power in the bank any time I need it.
The 200 now has 130+ on all 6. rebuilt 3 years ago.qq