Cummings Diesel

[SGKane]

We are looking at a "new to us" Itasca Horizon 40'. we have two to look at. Both have the same floor plan however one has the 400 hp the other has a 350. This would be our first diesel motorhome, is the extra 50 hp worth paying a few extra dollars?
besides the added HP, is there any other differences I should consider?
Thanks in advance,

[wolfe10]

Must be the OTHER Georgia. Where the speak English, or at least a dialect of it.

[Kayteg1]

where?

[Executive45]

Cumming is a city in Georgia...:W....Dennis


To the OP...congrats..now go camping!!!!!

[SGKane]

"Which one did you get? You mentioned two coaches in your first post."
We got a 2004 Itasca Horizon 40AD with the 400 HP. 🙂

[Stranger]

The ever elusive "CumminGs". I thought there were all extinct by now. 😉

[2gypsies1]

We practically lived in the western mountains and our 370 did great!

[Mr_Mark1]

SGKane wrote:
Thanks everyone. We did get it and now have it home. Now to "make it ours" and sell the older one. I drove it home from Houston and couldn't be happier with the ride and power.

Which one did you get? You mentioned two coaches in your first post.

MM.

[SGKane]

Thanks everyone. We did get it and now have it home. Now to "make it ours" and sell the older one. I drove it home from Houston and couldn't be happier with the ride and power.

[wolfe10]

Lots and lots of opinions on this one-- as usual.

Bottom line is that ANY of them will get you to the top of the mountain-- some faster, some slower.

If it is important that you pass other heavy vehicles on those climbs, indeed prioritize a better power to weight ratio (HP alone is meaningless in climbing grades unless you also consider weight).

We have been all over N America with a 36' 250 HP DP and with our current 38' with 400 HP. No doubt-- the newer one is faster up the grades, but the previous one made them just fine.

[donfrump]

SGKane wrote:
We are looking at a "new to us" Itasca Horizon 40'. we have two to look at. Both have the same floor plan however one has the 400 hp the other has a 350. This would be our first diesel motorhome, is the extra 50 hp worth paying a few extra dollars?
besides the added HP, is there any other differences I should consider?
Thanks in advance,

don't buy a 40ft DP with a isc350 if u plan on any westeren NA driving
Just not enough power, been there and done that
I have a 40ft no tag 450isl and its barely adaquete

[Mr_Mark1]

Our previous Dynasty at 42 ft. with the 425 ISL Cummins did pretty good going up hills but we were slow weighing in at 40,039 lbs. We had 1,200 lb. ft of torque.

The new 45 ft. coach with the 500 hp Volvo has 1,770 lb. ft. of torque and we weigh at our max of 55,500 lbs. (just had it weighed). We are faster going up hills than the Dynasty. Torque is what moves a coach.

We got about 7.8 mpg average in the Dynasty and we are getting about 6.8 mpg in the Liberty.

MM.

[USMC46]

I have the ISL 370 HP in a 41 foot Dutch Star with four slides, usually at maximum weight, pulling a Jeep, and I go anywhere, on any grade with it, and get 8 mpg with it in good conditions. I may be heavier than the coach you are looking at with the 350. You could probably be fine with the 350. But, like others, why not go a bit larger unless information on mpg etc. is very negative on the 400.

[_Marc]

If the 400hp has the side radiator I would definitely go with it and pay the extra dollars

[RayChez]

I do not see on your OP what year the coach is, but between 10/17/2005 and April/ 18/2006 their was a recall on ISL Cummins engines. Serial numbers range from 46543077 to 46603939 the connecting rod contains a machining defect in the wrist pin bushing of the rod that could cause seizure of the piston pin. This could lead to engine failure with the possibility of the rod rupturing the block.

Make sure you do not get stuck with one of these engines, because as I remember Cummins really did not tear the engine up to make sure the wrist pin was not defective, instead they just added a warning light that would tell you if the engine was about to blow up.