My 87 300D is leaking ATF from both sides of the trans cooler lines. It's fairly mild and consists only of a couple drops after the car has been parked. The lines leak out of the connections that sit on either side of the oil pan, and as far as I can see, nowhere else. I haven't driven the car a lot lately so I'm going to see how it progresses once I get it back on the road (needs brakes done). My question is this: I have a spare set of transmission cooler lines that came out of a 1988 300E, and I think they are exactly the same as mine. If I decide to replace them, should I do anything to "sterilize" the replacement lines? I know even the slightest micro-crumb of lint, dirt, etc., can terminate the transmission, so I'm very paranoid about that. These spare lines have been sitting in a dusty shed. It's not something I'm going to do at this time, but I'm just asking as a hypothetical, because having a plan of action for potential future problems helps me overcome my constant worrying (something I'd like to address in 2010). I'm just curious what the path of the ATF through those lines is, i.e., would a particle in one of the lines get caught in the filter. I don't have the FSM for the trans, just the chassis/body.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
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