280 Underpowered with twin 4.3L Alpha drives?

[paul@hearst.com]

Has anyone had problems with the 280 Sundancer (year 2000, 2001, or 2002) being underpowered with twin 4.3L engines (Alpha drives)?

Wondering what you all think?

 

[Voldad]

Mine is an '05 and I think it's under powered. When I have 6 on board I have to use the trim tabs. The pre-EFI engines will be worse - but still a great boat

 

[jason78]

Mine is an '05 and I think it's under powered. When I have 6 on board I have to use the trim tabs. The pre-EFI engines will be worse - but still a great boat

All the years he quoted are Fuel Injected. If it has original power, the 00 and 01 will be EFI and the 02 may or not be EFI depending on manufacture date- it could be MPI but not likely.

The MPI has an hp advantage over the EFI but they are both Fuel Injected.

As said both EFI and MPI have more hp than Carb. I don't believe carb would have been stock power on the boats you mentioned.

 

[Presentation]

Paul,

No, a 280 Dancer with twin 4.3's should not be underpowered.

Over its production run this boat was offered with a variety of engine / drive combinations including a single 6.2L small block V8. In my opinion, that was underpowered.

Please tell us more.

What are your expectations? What are your observations?

The Sea Ray Sundancer is a cruiser, not a speed boat.

If it were a vehicle it would be a crossover, good at many things, great at nothing. Not a sports car, not a truck.

As a reference, with our family of 5 onboard I plane from going slow no wake in 7 seconds. My WOT is in the upper 40’s.

With twin 4.3’s and Alpha’s I would expect a very similar plane time and WOT in the lower 40’s under a reasonable load.

Fill the boat with 8+ adults and you may need some tabs and more time to plane.

 

[jason78]

You couldn't be more wrong. In 2001, the 280 DA came with 190 HP 4.3 liter carbureted engines. I know, I owned one. It was so underpowered, I ended up pulling the engines, selling them on Ebay and putting in 5.0 MPI's. The performance with the 4.3 L carb'd engines was abysmal. 2002 and later, the carb'd version was eliminated.

The fuel injected 4.3L engines are better, but for gods sake, don't get the 190 HP versions.

Oops, keep me in line Scott. :grin:

 

[Bucit]

My 2005 has 4.3's and when I first got it I thought it was way underpowered. It took forever to get on plane then I found out I had a problem with one of my trim tabs. After fixing it it's night and day. I definately wouldn't go with the 190hp 4.3's, those will be underpowered. As Presentation stated, this boat is a "jack of all trades but master of none". I really enjoy the boat now after I got use to it. I've put over 130 hours on it since May so I'm glad I have the 4.3's compared to the 5.0's. Gas would be eating me up.

 

[jason78]

I've put over 130 hours on it since May so I'm glad I have the 4.3's compared to the 5.0's. Gas would be eating me up.

What kind of Fuel Burn are you seeing where you think 5.0s would be eating you up in gas? Most numbers I have heard T-4.3 owners report were not drastically less than the T-5.0.

 

[MExcelsior]

Has anyone had problems with the 280 Sundancer (year 2000, 2001, or 2002) being underpowered with twin 4.3L engines (Alpha drives)?

Wondering what you all think?

I too thought that is was a bit underpowered when I first purchased. However, I found that giving full throttle all at once from a standstill works the best to get on plane the fastest. Gradual throttle really is tedious and slow.

I see that you have BIIIs in your profile. Personally, I would love to drive my boat with those stern drives and you shouldn't have a problem. Let me know what you think! Are you personally having problems getting on plane quickly with those BIIIs. (That would be hard to believe..... but still would love to drive your boat to see ; ))

 

[ch435]

As others said, it would depend greatly on whether it's carb or efi, or mpi. My 2000 240da had a 5.0 carb that put out 220 hp.

My '05 280 has twin 4.3 mpi with bravo III, and I don't feel underpowered at all.

 

[Kiwi Graham]

I have a pair of brand new 4.3mpi's and B1 legs, replacing the original 02 models of each. The difference is amazing!!

She fly's out of the hole onto the plane and is up to speed in seconds. I have to warm the family we are 'going with throttle up' otherwise they will end up at the back of the boat.

I guess they have improved a few things over the last eight years!

 

[Jetmart]

I have a 2004 4.3L's and never have considered them underpowered. I get on plane what I thought was rather quickly and can cruise at 42 MPH. My last boat was a 20' Wellcraft bowrider with a 5.0L Merc and I was expecting a much bigger difference getting on plane. It is better then I thought.

 

[MMLAM]

The majority of 280 Sea Rays that I have worked on are equipped with the twin 4.3L setup. Although I have seen 280's equipped with a single 8.1L, 7.4L(pe-2002) and twin 5.0L. Are you having trouble getting on plane? What is your top speed?

 

[trit21]

I have a 2004 4.3L's and never have considered them underpowered. I get on plane what I thought was rather quickly and can cruise at 42 MPH. My last boat was a 20' Wellcraft bowrider with a 5.0L Merc and I was expecting a much bigger difference getting on plane. It is better then I thought.

I used to own a 2006 280 with twin 4.3/alpha and no way is the 'cruise' 42 mph. WOT maybe, but not cruise. If you are cruising at 42mph that means you are at WOT all the time and I don't have to explain to you why that is a bad thing, I hope anyway.