f4 plt

For those with either 2011 or 2012 Carrera S or GTS with PDK, do you have three radiators up front or only two? IE the two side ones and the additional third in the center. I believe the stick shift cars have only the two side ones.

Leader

Mine's a 2011 GTS with PDK. I have three radiators.
Used to be the power kit needed the third radiator, and the tiptronic-equipped cars had 'em, too.
Not sure which option makes the center radiator necessary currently, but with X51 and PDK on a GTS they're definitely there.

GSIRM3

Must be the PDK that requires the third radiator. My 2012 GTS with manual does not have the third radiator.

f4 plt

You are correct. Same with the Caymans. @009-2010 they deleted the third radiator and in 2011 the re-introduced it for the PDK equiped cars. I just spent $1500 at the local dealer ( and he cut me a deal on the labor) to get the third radiator put in my PDK 2010 Cayman as I was seeing elevated coolant temps when driven hard in our Texas heat. Now I guess I should do it with my '09 C2S to prevent long term heat damage. I think PORSCHE may have been cost cutting in the hopes it would work not good for those of us with 2009-2010 cars.

gota911

Oh sh*t! I am only 4 days away from picking up a 2010 C2S with a manual transmission and NOW you tell me this????








Seriously, I am not worried, just having a little fun. It doesn't get as hot in Greenville, SC as it does in S.A. I lived there for 30 years. I heard y'all need some rain. How is the Edwards aquifer holding up?

simsgw

You're right not to be worried. I've lived in San Antonio also and the temps are the same here. Our C2S without the power kit or the PDK wouldn't know what to do with a third radiator.

Congratulations on getting back into a p-car!

Gary

ADias

A 3rd radiator is rarely needed. In most cases it is a fragile component in a perilous position, and dead weight.

CodeRed

I would rather have it, then not have the 3rd one.

gota911

Thanks Gary!

mdrums

2009 pdk///no front radiator...2010-2012 PDK has front radiator.

GSIRM3

So, what's going on here? Why would you need the third radiator with PDK and not the regular 6 speed. Is the third radiator in fact a heat exchanger for engine coolant, or is it a transmission oil cooler? Why does a PDK engine run hotter, assuming the third radiator is an engine coolant heat exchanger?

Alan C.

The third radiator is not too hard to install. I had one installed on my 09 C2S. It dropped my oil temps on track and I was happy with the results. Was my engine going to self destruct without it? Most likely not. The important thing to do along with the third radiator is to get a screen in front of it. It is one large rock catcher. I had one large dent in the screen from a sparrow. Screen one. sparrow zero. Pulled the dented screen back into place with a small 90 degree pick.

f4 plt

Fortunately I have already built and installed a third grill so I'm ready to add the third radiator and will in the next week or so, just as our worst heat wave in history ( started in May) should be ending. As for mesh grills I posted on a different thread that they are easy to make, materials are cheap and they will protect the exposed radiators to large road trash without any significant loss of air flow. Spent the morning building and installing a set of grills in a friend's 2004 996 Targa and yes it has tip.