2.5 280 Rebuild - Who is the go to these days?

**moatorbotin** · 07-20-2021, 08:11 AM

I just picked up a 99 2.5 280 that's been asleep for 3-4 seasons and has 150 hours on it (I scanned with my Techmate Pro, most of the hours are in the 3-5,000 RPM range, though based on teh RPM breakdown I'm missing 20 hours, could those just be key on engine off hours? My scanner didn't show anything over 6,000 or 6,500 RPM).

Who's the go to for rebuilding these days? Compression is 138-142, have not done a leak down, motor is unopened so I haven't even removed the heads on it yet.

Seems I should have side pinned pistons and should swap to the top pins, recommended pistons to purchase?

Any other 'must do' updates during a refresh?

**rjdubiel** · 07-20-2021, 09:18 AM

I think the ECM reads key on power for total hours so you may not match up or someone reset the RPM hours, you cannot reset total hours.

**97mirage** · 07-20-2021, 03:55 PM

The best rebuilder is Jay Smith at Jay Smith Racing. He is in Texas and is a supporting vendor (I believe). Jay builds several 2.5s (e.g. 300 Drags, 280s, 260s) every week. I know he is not conveniently located to where you live but he will do it right. I think he will ship you a box to place your powerhead in so you can return-ship to him. Or you can build your own box. He has built our drag motor several times. Always does it right!!! Check out his website.

**patchesII** · 07-23-2021, 07:57 PM

Whomever you send it to I would keep it 100% stock. Those are great engines and most that stick grinding tools of any kind in them probably screw them up.

**CUDA** · 07-23-2021, 08:20 PM

Who did your port work, you had the fastest 1/4 mile Merc, I don't remember was that straight gas?

**patchesII** · 07-25-2021, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by CUDA

Who did your port work, you had the fastest 1/4 mile Merc, I don't remember was that straight gas?

Ron Anderson did some and was then tweaked by Dave Bush. I was on methanol

**John S** · 07-25-2021, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by patchesII

I was on methanol

My cop buddy always said those meth heads were hard to catch.

Ditto on not cutting on it. Merc has a pretty good idea of what they're doing.

**LakeFever** · 07-25-2021, 11:34 AM

Methanol. Top fuel

Only Nitro can top it and even then a Nitro motor isn't really an engine, its a metal bonfire

**CUDA** · 07-25-2021, 12:42 PM

That's a old name, last time I saw you run at Jasper with the new electronics you looked like you were on spray playing with that Big V-8 what was the cubic difference, pure efficiently to make that small 2.5 run so well.

**patchesII** · 07-25-2021, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by CUDA

That's a old name, last time I saw you run at Jasper with the new electronics you looked like you were on spray playing with that Big V-8 what was the cubic difference, pure efficiently to make that small 2.5 run so well.

I was thinking that V8 was a 4.4 liter or something. Mine was stock bore/stroke 2.5. There may have been some nitromethane involved too😁
What we were able to do with the Emtron engine management was pretty cool. That was a fun project with Dave. It was very possibly the strongest 2.5 anywhere

**CUDA** · 07-25-2021, 02:55 PM

Well we all know Dave has the best outboard dyno what were the numbers?

You don't add nitromethane for dyno testing do ya?

Sad to see you quit, you were peaking, I understand the wife static, for some reason they don't want to lose us

**patchesII** · 07-25-2021, 03:11 PM

We did one short hit on the dyno to 6000 and Dave chickened out and pulled the throttle back. The torque difference the nitro made at 5000 rpm was pretty eye opening. Engine made 436 hp on M5

**CUDA** · 07-25-2021, 04:03 PM

That's wild, I never heard such numbers, did you have a sponsor?

Can't Imagine the amount of parts and pieces It took to get there, since your living on the edge of destruction.

That's why I ran a stock class, a lot cheaper

One of the first times I ran with DSRA Erik was parked near me and acted like a old friend showing me his laptop program he was working on, downloaded from his Aim MXL dash, he was always cutting edge

**Capt.Insane-o** · 07-25-2021, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by patchesII

I was thinking that V8 was a 4.4 liter or something. Mine was stock bore/stroke 2.5. There may have been some nitromethane involved too
What we were able to do with the Emtron engine management was pretty cool. That was a fun project with Dave. It was very possibly the strongest 2.5 anywhere

#FreeDaveBush