02 Itasca Horizon

david123 · 07-05-2019, 07:17 PM

I am looking at a 02 Horizon with a cat 3126b diesel with 139,000 miles. There are no service records. It seems to run good. the interior is in good shape as is the outside. Should I be worried about the engine? The present owner has owned the coach for 3 years. Her husband pass away and the coach has been sitting for a year. thanks for any help

Jim_HiTek · 07-06-2019, 11:29 AM

That is a lot of miles so you'd want to climb over and under the engine to be sure the leaks are minor. Especially check the HEUI hose for leaks. And any other high pressure hoses.

That Cat is a very reliable engine so don't be too concerned. You should have the oil analysed. And without any service history, everything liquid should be changed, change the serpentine belt and water pump belt, along with the air engine and tranni filters.

I suspect others could go on and on about what you should do but you're there and can inspect the rig...and only you know what repairs you're capable of.

You might check out my RV repair blog that covers my '02 Journey with a Cat 3126e...a higher quality twin of the Horizon as I have been told. Ended up with two expensive repairs this spring...the A/C compressor seized up and broke the serpentine belt, and the basement heat pump started squealing real bad so had to service that: RV Repair '02 Journey

david123 · 07-06-2019, 06:10 PM

I have found out it is a 01 not 02. There are some records from the original owner. I have look thru the manuals to find those. They owned until 2014. They replaced the ref in 2012, and replaced the transmission ECU in 05. Also had an air leak at the air dryer in 05 with 51,0199 miles. They kept a record of reg maintainace until 04. I have found oil filter number wrote down.They had some body repairs done in 2014, buffing out scratches and repair bay doors and wheel wells. they had a blow out. I have no records for the next 2 owners. I have drove the coach and all seem good. I will go back and check the engine extra careful. I have already plan to change all filters and fluids including coolant. I called a cat dealer for a price on valve adjustments, ($500), and will ask about a tune up. It also will need tires and generator maintaince. He accepted $36,000 offer. I can do a lot of maintance myself, but do not want to do the valves.

Jim_HiTek · 07-06-2019, 06:29 PM

Do you mean you found a document for the chassis that called it a '01? But the seller told you it was a '02?

If so, that's typical. The manufacturer buys the chassis, and it's a '01, they put a '02 house on top and from then on it's always sold as a '02. The only difference it makes is with insurance companies. They want to call it a '01 in case they have to total it...they can give you less money. That's another reason why you have to keep your fingers crossed with these beasts.

david123 · 07-06-2019, 06:54 PM

Thanks for your all your input. I will have a second look at everything including the engine. I am not worry about the year as much as engine and transmission. It does run down the road good. I had to watch my speed.

CharlesMoore · 07-14-2019, 06:05 PM

Hey, let us know what you find as it could help someone in the future. Cheers.

Just a side note to say the basement air can be an issue but it is not a death knell. Mine was working but failing and I had a guy in Shipshewana, IN repair if for $600 and this was a lot cheaper than a new (rebuilt) one.

Kvw613 · 07-14-2019, 06:31 PM

We have a 2002 Horizon 36LD that we bought with 68000 miles. “It’s hardly even broken in” said everyone. We just passed 100000 miles. Engine and drive train have been fine. We have replaced:
Oil pan
Alternator
Ac compressor
Entryway floor slide solenoid
Heater core
Engine ac valve
One HWH hydraulic jack
HWH hydraulic motor
Windshield wiper motor
Turbocharger
Exhaust manifold gaskets
Galley floor under slide
Ice maker
Forward bushings and struts
Basement ac control board
Shower mixer valve
Dash heat blower resistor x3

We have repeatedly worked on:
Main slide adjustment
Exhaust system attachment points
Jacks
HWH valves and hoses
Water heater
Water heater controller
Shower stall leaks
Tank level gauges
Cabinet door facings
Water leaks at front cap
Fog lights
Rust

We love our rig, and the repair costs have not matched the cost of an extended warranty. But...you must be handy with tools and not be afraid to crawl underneath and fix things. Otherwise, mechanic bills will kill you.

jerichorick · 07-14-2019, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david123

I am looking at a 02 Horizon with a cat 3126b diesel with 139,000 miles. There are no service records. It seems to run good. the interior is in good shape as is the outside. Should I be worried about the engine? The present owner has owned the coach for 3 years. Her husband pass away and the coach has been sitting for a year. thanks for any help

One thing not mentioned by others is the "air dryer" service. This is very important for the proper functioning of your air brakes. If you get the rig (Just getting broken in at that mileage.) you would be wise to take a trip to the Freightliner Custom Chassis factory and service center in Gaffney, SC. Make an appointment before you go. They have a long list of services that they can do to ensure your rig is safe and road worthy.

I agree with having fluid tests done. Much can be told about the condition of the engine, transmission and cooling system this way. I use Blackstone Laboratories. https://www.facebook.com/BlackstoneLaboratories/ Seems that they have done away with their website because of a body building website that has a similar name.

If you like this coach and the price is right I say go for it. Winnebago still provides all of the wiring and plumbing diagrams for this coach on their website.

Here is the brochure: https://winnebagoind.com/resources/b...orizon-bro.pdf

Happy trails,
Rick Y

PS: Make certain that the tires are no more than 7 years old. Michelin's can go to 10 but that is really pushing it.

Jim_HiTek · 07-14-2019, 08:11 PM

I keep a spreadsheet of all my expenses for the RV, including optional stuff I just buy because I want it but could do without, insurance costs, plus registration costs. The big expense is repairs and over 3 years so far in my well made '02 Journey with Cat 3126e, I'm averaging $223/month. I think that's a spike because of the 3 major repairs I've made this year.

Over 12 years in my 36 foot, 190 HP Cummins Bounder pusher, AFTER deducting what I sold her for, I averaged $188/month.

I'm hoping the Journey expenses will become fewer and fewer as I take care of the deferred maintenance left me by the previous owner over time. Next up? Recharging the dash A/C system. Had the compressor seize up on me in April.

Jeeper · 07-14-2019, 08:53 PM

We sold our National Tradewinds last year with 167,000 miles on it. In the 19 years we owned it I had to replace the exhaust manifold gaskets and studs at about 120K. At 140 I lost the oil pump and that in turn took out the turbo, 6K to get it back on the road. I changed out the belts on it twice and I changed all the filters and fluids once a year. I did the air dryer filter at 70 and 140K miles. I did all the maintenance but the turbo and oil pump as that was on the road. If I had paid attention to what was going on I would not have lost the Turbo. I found the 3126 to be a great engine and I averaged 9.2 to 10.2 with it the last few years...

ftodaro · 07-15-2019, 05:44 AM

Like others have said, if your price is fair market i would not be concerned about the mileage, i would look at the general condition of the coach. I would be sure to get up on the roof and look at the condition of the sealers and their condition. There is a gutter seam seal all along the side that should not separate from the gutter, there are threads on here on how and what to do. The frieghtlinger chassis is a pretty durable unit. The nice thing about that is the parts and service are widely available. I have done much of my work my self but you should understand that maintenance is a constant and ongoing process with a rig that is 18-19 years old.

Just my opinion but newer rigs can have just as many or more issues. the beauty of this generation is that they are simple to work on. The new rigs today are so dependent on electronics if something goes wrong you are going to need help. Good luck.

Flagstick · 07-15-2019, 11:42 AM

The Journey DL and the Itasca Horizon are identical with different decals. According to Winnebago factory.

Flagstick · 07-15-2019, 11:52 AM

A major repair is when the engine fan bearing fails on the CAT engine. Make sure it has been serviced. You can view it from the top of the engine when the bed is removed. The grease serk is behind the pulley toward the engine and should show evidence of having been used.
Most owners don''t even know it's there. A pain to service but must be done.

ftodaro · 07-16-2019, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flagstick

A major repair is when the engine fan bearing fails on the CAT engine. Make sure it has been serviced. You can view it from the top of the engine when the bed is removed. The grease serk is behind the pulley toward the engine and should show evidence of having been used.
Most owners don''t even know it's there. A pain to service but must be done.

There is an owners manual on line that gives you the grease fittings on the rig if your going to do your own work, but to my knowledge this is not listed. they do sell an extension for this fitting to make it easier to do. I had to take an extended fitting and grind it down to get behind the belt pulley.

david123 · 07-16-2019, 05:21 PM

Thanks for all the advice. I have decided not to buy the coach. My gut feeling said to pass and keep looking. It seems to be a sellers market right now.