CAT 3126 330hp - Enough Horsepower??? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Dogpatch · RV-Dreams Family Member

CAT 3126 330hp - Enough Horsepower???

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

never driven the Cummins and have no experience with a 40 footer but we currently have the 330 HP Cat and it doesn't seem to lack power. We are 36' and pull a Dodge Dakota so both our coach and truck would be a little under your weights.

Phil

ps: no experience with this but I believe the 330 HP Cat can be "turned up" with a tuner to 350 HP if you are so inclined.

-- Edited by Workinrvers on Thursday 3rd of April 2014 08:55:50 PM

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Dogpatch, I think you will have plenty of power. I have the 8.3 Cummins, 330hp, and it scoots along pretty good. Mind you all I've pulled with it is a car dolly with a car on it. So not that heavy of a load.

Be sure to show off some pic's. when you get your new toy back home.

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Am I missing something? If I wanted to hustle from point A to point B, I'll never retire 'cause the "gotta get there now" will never be erased from my brain. What happened to smell the roses? A slouch? Seriously, a 5 mile hill at 65MPH vs 50MPH is a difference of around 70 seconds. Stop worrying.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste....(Desiderata, Max Ehrmann)

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 4th of April 2014 05:12:19 AM

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had a 40' 92 Beaver with a 3176 225 hp CAT engine. it only had the 4 speed transmission but still pulled very well on multiple trips through the Rockies. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a MH with the 3126.

Good engines.

Jim

Dogpatch · RV-Dreams Family Member

biggaRView wrote:
Am I missing something? If I wanted to hustle from point A to point B, I'll never retire 'cause the "gotta get there now" will never be erased from my brain. What happened to smell the roses? A slouch? Seriously, a 5 mile hill at 65MPH vs 50MPH is a difference of around 70 seconds. Stop worrying.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste....(Desiderata, Max Ehrmann)

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 4th of April 2014 05:12:19 AM

But.....I'm not retired. LOL

I do hear you! I just have to ask the question to feel good about the purchase in my mind. Knowledge is power and better to know now than to regret later. That's why these forums are invaluable!

I do like the fact this engine can be tuned for a bit more HP if needed.

Thanks for replies thus far!

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dogpatch wrote:
But.....I'm not retired. LOL....

You feel the need.... the need for speed. biggrin biggrin

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dogpatch wrote:
biggaRView wrote:
Am I missing something? If I wanted to hustle from point A to point B, I'll never retire 'cause the "gotta get there now" will never be erased from my brain. What happened to smell the roses? A slouch? Seriously, a 5 mile hill at 65MPH vs 50MPH is a difference of around 70 seconds. Stop worrying.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste....(Desiderata, Max Ehrmann)

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 4th of April 2014 05:12:19 AM
But.....I'm not retired. LOL
I do hear you! I just have to ask the question to feel good about the purchase in my mind. Knowledge is power and better to know now than to regret later. That's why these forums are invaluable!
I do like the fact this engine can be tuned for a bit more HP if needed.
Thanks for replies thus far!

no problem at all asking this question! Shows that your are concerned with safety as well as being a careful buyer! I am semi-retired and do like to "stop and smell the roses" occasionally and no, I don't take 5 mile hills at 70 mph or even 65 mph. I drive what I feel is a safe speed for my weight and length of rig keeping in mind my own driving abilities and the safety of my beautiful wife sitting next to me. I do take comfort knowing that my rig has the power to "make it to the top of the hill" without over working the engine and transmission since I want both to last a long, long time.

Good luck on your search.

Phil

-- Edited by Workinrvers on Friday 4th of April 2014 08:13:41 AM

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Ultimate................One time I was looking at buying a Blue Bird Wanderlodge. Series 60 Detroit Diesel (500hp). I had the same motor in my Peterbilt. Now that would give you some G R U N T.

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dogpatch (and by the by Workinrvers), sorry if my initial response sounded perhaps a bit flippant(it wasn't intended that way, just trying put some levity into the thought process), but Dogpatch, you took the effort in your initial post to mention racecars and not wanting to be a slouch. Others have already posted that you should be fine, power-wise. My comment was more directed to the visceral feeling of the primal urge for more power.

"Arr, arr... arr, arr, arr" as Tim Allen would say. smile biggrin

Brian

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 4th of April 2014 09:03:13 PM

Dogpatch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually feel a whole lot better today about the 330 hp Cat.

The Beaver Coach (to be) actually has a GCVW of 36,000 lbs and comes in lighter than my Dynasty of 42,000 lbs so, although the Dynasty had a 350 hp Cummins, the larger engine had a lot more weight to move. 20 more hp had to move 6000 more lbs.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is not related to RV's, but back when I was driving 18-wheelers, some of the trucks began to come out with the Caterpillar engines. One of the fellows we "kind-of" run with purchased one. He went some time and was always complaining about how much of a dog that engine was. However, he'd put so much money into that truck, he couldn't just trade it off.

One day, he came into the truck stop in Dodge City where we ran out of and had a really big smile on his face. He explained that he was on his latest delivery and had stopped at some truck stop for lunch. When he got back into his truck and started out on the highway, he described the experience "as if someone had blown the doors off." That engine was suddenly one very fine engine. That man smiled for weeks after that.

I guess the engine just needed its "break-in" time completed. I would venture that the engine is plenty big enough, as long as the transmission and gearing in the axle are matched to the engine. I don't remember for sure how big those semi's engines were with Caterpillar, but the biggest Cummins I ever drove was a 335 with a manual two-stick four-by-four transmission and 5:29 rear axle differentials. Those trucks were designed to pull grades.

Terry

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry,

My FLD 120 had a 3406 CAT (it was a 1995) that was maybe? 450 HP. Talk about a "hill climber" that truck was really smooth climbing grades towing our 5th wheel. Of course our 5er only weighed in at 14,000 lbs so it wasn't much of a load for a truck designed to pull 4 times that amount.

Phil

on edit: engine was a 3406 not 3106 ....... too many numbers for an old fart like me.

-- Edited by Workinrvers on Sunday 6th of April 2014 07:03:46 PM

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

When climbing hills, it's all about torque. If you have plenty of torque and gears that can put that torque to the wheels, you will smile. I'm driving a freightliner with 1450 ft pounds of Mercedes power. It keeps up with many of the trucks climbing the Grapevine but is a pooch compared to my vulva with 1850 ft pounds of Cummins go-faster and a 13 speed, arrrrghhhhh. Pulling 80K pounds, they both grunt. Pulling the fiver, the Volvo says, "what is that, a misquito?" That being said, 55 mph will get you there at 11.5 mpg totally relaxed and rested. Personally, I don't like to go fast. I do like to know I can if I need to.

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I had a 3126 with a 250 hp MDT pulling a 17500 fifth wheel and had no problem pulling 8- 10 % grades which don't often find. I now have a C-7 Cat 350 hp in a 40' MH pulling a Jeep Liberty and have no problem. You may encounter some hills where you get behind someone going 30-35 mph that you can't pass because of the faster traffic passing you , don't worry or get in a hurry if you have the torque it will keep on pulling with no effort. Allow yourself enough time and you don't have to worry about the speed. One of the biggest things I had to learn after retiring was slowing down both speed and distance driving. Now I'm a happy camper

Dogpatch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Here is something I found I might try if pulling becomes an issue.

shop.bullydogdieselperformance.biz/Bully-Dog-Rapid-Power-Module-CAT-3126-C9-C7-40630-40630.htm