Helpfull info about 280's

[JaySmithRacing]

Helpfull information about Top Pinned 280's
I've seen 2 280 destroyed this week due to side pin piston failures. Repair bill can be astronomical.. ( 1 needed crank, 3 rods, 2 sleeves, set of pistons, 2 broke reed cages , welding repair to block and front case half ) OUCH $$$$$$$

Some have asked me this week is my 280 top pinned ? I have gave them this information I would like to share with the forum.

My Mercury source said the first production 280 that was converted from side to top pinned pistons is year model 2001 and had a serial number of OT 430855..........

SO....If your 2001 280 has a SN higher than OT 430855 your motor good chance it came stock top pinned..

Jay

 

[procomp]

Thanks Jay. What was the first year for the 280?

I was recently looking at a boat with a 280 on it and it had 220 original hours on the 280!

 

[chad202]

1999

 

[michael j giesler]

1998 was the first year you could get a 280 or a 260

 

[white03]

Don't know why, maybe I read it somewhere, but I thought the 260 came first and then it grew into the 280?

 

[patches]

What Michael meant was in year model 98 you could get a 260 or 280. They did away with the 260 after that except for factory replacement blocks.

 

[JaySmithRacing]

The first 260 was made in late 1991.......

The 280 was a replacement for the discontinued 260 BUT not the same motor at all...

Jay

 

[Blue Gray in PA]

Great info Jay - thanks for the post.

Procomp - the 280 I bought had about 200 hours on it and the rings were almost entirely worn out but the cylinders were fine - you could still see the cross-hatching in them when it was disassembled. I had new top pinned pistons installed in mine and it's been great since. I would think the key is what oil was used and how many hours at what RPM the engine saw. Mine was run on Pennzoil FULL Synthetic and well-cared for by the original owner. My $.02