non Porsche technical question
 

Fellow mechanics and tinkerers,


My 1999 Mountaineer has the towing package which includes a radiator in front of the large radiator to cool the transmission, which is additional to the tube grid that lies beneath the vehicle. Due to NY's brilliant decision to add molasses to the salt they drop on our roads ( supposed to stick to the road more effciently), the lower grid of tubes has corroded to the point of pin leakage.

I will not be using the vehicle for towing anymore so I'm strongly considering removing the lower grid and running lines direct from the fron tranny radiator to near the tranny where the lines are less corroded and deleting the lower cooler. My contention is the radiator added to the tow package is far superior to the tubes in cooling power and thus needs no extra lower grid.

Clearly, I would not ever consider such a repair for the Porsche, I'd like some opinions on this for the daily driver.

Why not just replace the stock tubing, but coat it with something that will protect it from the salt like POR-15?

Actually, one more new one would likely last the rest of the way. It's unclear where the stock unit connects to the tranny, it's high up and impossible to see. I read on the Ford Explorer enthusiast BB (yeah even my truck has a fanclub) that some other guys going off road just deleted the grid and had no problems, the radiator apparently is enough. It sounded like braided line was available for the application but I forgot my ID so I couldn't ask...

I have to save all my $ for the Porsche, my 10 year old truck commands a different mind-set in these difficult times, I would never wrench on the Porsche this way. Having said that, if this modification won't overheat the tranny in the woods, then my vehicle that is retired from towing should be fine and the repair will cost clamps & hoses.