I didn't know this for sure and wasn't able to be 100% sure from web searching, but Navigators or in my case a 2003 Navigator normally has a factory transmission cooler installed roughly right under the radiator, correct? Now, this MIGHT be part of a trailer package option, that part I'm not sure on, but I'm pretty sure if you look at the pics I've attached, that the fluid line you see with the open end in the picture, which WAS dripping tranny fluid yesterday afternoon after this happened SHOULD normally be going to a separate (as opposed to the coolers or condensors I think some vehicles have integrated into their main radiator, my 03 Navi I believe had a SEPARATE tranny cooler) factory installed and sitting roughly right under the radiator and would probably line up nicely with this "fluid line to nowhere"-IF the tranny cooler wasn't laying back on the road someplace, right??

I'll try not to embarrass myself too much and say that in my defense, I had to back a 12 foot enclosed trailer through a maze of crap on a very long driveway with a circular turnaround and SOMEWHERE in there, a pull behind the riding mower type garden cart got under there and I think wedged up just right (or wrong!) and snapped that tranny fluid line AND must've weakened the mounting points of the factory tranny cooler enough that it eventually dell off, since I only made it just over a mile (I know exact distance on that route) and that's when I first noticed a noticeable lag time when I hit the gas to accelerate from a green light, then it VERY quickly TURNED into major slipping as I made a U turn, knowing something was up from that first experience with the long lag time, less than 1/8 of a mile from the first notice, the engine is still running just fine, but the truck is going NOWHERE at all!

I knew something was WRONG and also knew NOT to drive on a badly slipping tranny, but these aren't the old days of a TH 400 or whatever that you could get a full rebuild on for $300 in 1991 (I did!) so I ended up sitting there in the middle lane of what at 4pm or so when I was there, is a VERY busy road, truck and trailer behind it and LOTS of people honking, flipping me off, yelling nice things at me, etc!! Luckily, tow truck showed up FAST and we had to push trailer onto side street and had truck trailered home, but that brings me to my big question:

So, I've got full coverage insurance on this vehicle, I get fairly decent rates due to being in my 40s, zero moving violations for 10+ yrs and just 2 claims in 10 years, one accident at fault and my old Audi got stolen and trashed, so IF there's MAJOR tranny damage, which the owner of the shop that my roadside assistance said there may or may not be, has to get it up on the lift to see (I've been to this shop a few times years ago and they've had an excellent reputation as being competent and honest indy mechanics for decades) well then I'd obviously want to go thru with that claim on my auto insurance I'd think (deductible is $500) because even after the $500 is taken out, how much does a rebuilt 2003 Navi tranny install go for total?? I'd guess $3k? (it is 4WD too) and I'll also need a rental car ifits in the shop any more than ONE day.

Yet, anyone have any ideas if this would for sure have toasted my tranny?? So, basically I can see EXACTLY where the major fluid leak started from the trail on my driveway and as I said I happen to know the EXACT distance to where I made the U turn to come back and fig out I wasn't going anywhere else under my own power at that point, its just under 1 1/4 miles from home. I'm asking because even though this shop is known by many for being honest, etc I can totally see and willadmit that even though I'm a pretty darn honest guy, unless that truck absolutely did NOT need a rebuilt tranny, if I owned that shop and knew the ins co was paying, etc I'm thinking if I looked at it and could tell the owner of the truck, hey you got away real lucky here and your tranny is not toast, I just might swap in a rebuilt unit anyway!

That's no problem, but then that's a 3rd claim and no,I wont have to go to some goofy ins co like for people with 10 DUIs to get car insurance or anything like that, but I'll end up paying for it one way or another, they always get you in the end!

So, I'm just looking or curious to hear anyone who may know this subject well what they think as far as internal tranny damage here, is my tranny for sure or 95+% for sure toasted or is this a 50/50 thing or???? I honestly have no clue!!

One 2nd question too, I don't a LOT of trailer pulling, maybe once every 2 weeks and the trailer is about 1500 lbs unloaded with 1500 capacity, so max load is 3000 lbs, do you think as long as my factory cooler is GONE, I should have them install a larger aftermarket unit to replace it?

Thanks in advance for any help, its much appreciated!

 

No, not always, but there is one built into the radiator...such as in your case. Take a look at the picture I posted and if I'm correct that tranny line hanging goes over the lower radiator hose and connects to that steel tube I've circled.

 

For a quick and cheap repair, use a tubing cutter to cut steel tubing portion of each of the halves and then join them together using rubber fuel line hose and some hose clamps. Then you can fill the tranny fluid back up and see if it drives. Since you stopped quickly the tranny might've been spared any damage.

 

BTW, are you sure this is a 2003 Lincoln Navigator? I ask only because the looks of the underside along with the tranny cooling line layout is unlike any I have seen.

 

alloro, THANK YOU!!! (and if it turns out there's no tranny damage then my Ins Co ought to thank you too, but I wouldn't hold your breath on that part of it!)

Yes, you're correct-unfortunately we just got a major burst of rain/t-storms right as I read your reply, went out anyway to look and took some contractor garbage bags with to try to keep somewhat dry, didn't help much with the rain but yes I found EXACTLY where that hose would go, there's like a opening or hole in the plastic piece or plastic guard that is also in that area and when I lined up the broken off line with what looked like a broken connection inside that hole, it lined right up!

Soon as it quits pouring, which should be within 30 min according to the weather sites, I'll go out and snap a pic of where that line connects to for future reference in case it would help anyone down the road.

Now, your 2nd reply also kind of runs into another question I had but didn't see the need to put into OP, which is that I'm assuming there must be at least 2 lines involved here, as far as for getting the hot tranny fluid from the tranny to the tranny cooler and then there's got to be a second line to return the cooled fluid, which I'm assuming must be the line that's piggybacked with this hanging line, correct? If so, then that piggybacked line would be the one I'd think you mean to cut and connect the two lines together and if I've got this correct, you're saying to cut the steel tubing (I've got a cutter for copper plumbing supply pipe, EMT conduit, etc with the little cutting wheel that you spin around the pipe to cut and it VERY small, I assume that's what you mean so that steel tubing doesn't get pinched or kinked at all while trying to cut it) and then I get the part with the hose clamps and some fuel line hose, got it all in the garage except for the fuel line hose, so I'll get that while I'm waiting for the rain to pass for good.

Just saw your last question on my email on phone, yes I'm positive it is a 2003 Navigator, in fact I'd bought it used and had to register it not too far back, I'm sure they'd have told me if it wasn't and its not a salvage, flood, etc branded title either, so as far as I know there wasn't some goof along the way who put a Navigator front clip over a no options Expedition (sounds like a LOT of work for not a whole lot of profit at the used car level too!) but interesting to read your last comment, could it be that deal with the 2003 Navi's the early/late year 03's having some various changes???

 

This is odd but I had a response typed out, hit post and it vanished, so this is the quickie version!

Alloro-YOU'RE RIGHT! There's a hard to see at first hole in that plastic underside shield and once I found that and shined light inside, can see how the the broken off line and connector match up PERFECT with that obviously broken connection, so there was no separate tranny cooler!

Unfortunately, we just got BIG burst of rain and t-storms, but I'll use the time to run and get the only part I don't have in my garage or tool room for your suggested test (and I assume you mean to try that VERY briefly, since "jumpering" the tranny coolant line means no tranny cooler then) but I'm not going to jump on the highway with it like that, or even drive far, but I'm assuming I could drive it very briefly, long enough to "run through the gears" without cooking the tranny without a cooler on it right? I'm just going by how you're not going to overheat a motor that quickly by any means but wanted to make sure on that, before I tried it! I know construction and things that are meant to stay in one spot for good far better than I know cars! It wouldn't take much driving to tell if the transmission has some damage or not and last thing is that I'm also assuming the 2nd line for the tranny fluid (there's got to be 2 lines I'd think, one to take the hot fluid out of the tranny and a 2nd line to return it, right?) but I'm assuming that the 2nd tranny fluid line must be the line that's piggybacked with the line that's broken off in my pics, correct??

I'll update and hopefully have some good news fairly soon here, but again THANKS, I really appreciate the help and I followed the part at the bottom of your reply and clicked the scales to let the site know how much your help is appreciated!!

 

Oh, forgot to mention, YES I"m POSITIVE its a 2003 Navigator, I actually recently registered it, so I'd think the state would've caught that and its not a branded titale at all, no salvage, flood, etc so there wasn't some goof along the way who slapped a Navi front clip onto a stripped down Expedition, sounds like a lot of work for hardly any profit anyway, but could it be the deal with whatever differences there are between early production 2003's and late 2003's??

 

Yes that piggybacked line is the second one and NO, DO NOT CUT the second line...just leave it alone. What I was trying to say is to cut the steel tubing part of the broken line so you can get a hose on it and connect it to where it broke off instead of having to by the original hose from the dealer.

 

Thanks for the update, I ended up coming to the same conclusion I guess, or that I might as well just get the whole problem looked at by a mechanic (so not me!) because when you look up into the access hole that the tranny line runs up through to make the connection where it broke, there's no easy way I could connect that to run the vehicle to even just test it out and know it won't just fall right back off and wouldn't run it without a way to cool the fluid, if the tranny isn't ruined, I might ruin it trying to test it out.

So, I'm just letting the insurance company handle it since its a collision claim from me running over this thing in the driveway, even if I feel like an idiot for doing it! (and I'm sure whatever it ends up costing, they'll get their $$ back from me with a little rate increase but I've had a clean driving record and few claims, so I don't get hit that bad for car insurance)

Thanks a lot for your help, it does help to know what's actually wrong and now I'll know where to install an aftermarket trans cooler if I want to down the road!