# A new snake oil! Only time will tell **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 8, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585 "2015-04-08T00:29:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/21 "2015-07-11T04:07:28Z")
When I switch the overdrive off on my Dodge it **enables** torque converter lock-up in third gear. This reduces the heat generated by the torque converter. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/22 "2015-07-11T05:33:46Z")
The truck has 198,000 miles as best I recall. I bought it several years ago at a great price because the overdrive was acting up plus several other miscelaneous nuisance issues all of which were somewhat easily corrected. I’ve only driven it about 24,000 miles in about 6 years so it has spent a lot of time parked but lately I have been loading my bike up and driving 20 miles to a bike trail where I pedal from 15 to 25 miles depending on the weather and my mood. It’s a shame that I need to drive that far to pedal safely but 3 bikers have been killed and many injured on local streets in the past 2 years. Internet sites give conflicting opinions on the E4OD and I can’t be certain that disconnecting the lock up clutch won’t shorten the life of the transmission but it drives OK for now and the AC is cold so I’ll get all I can out of it. The truck has saved me enough money hauling tons of fill dirt and gravel to pay for itself. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/23 "2015-07-11T13:56:16Z")
There are several threads on this site where transman681 argued emphatically that disconnecting the lockup will cause excessive heat to build up resulting in shorter transmission life. One of those links is at: [http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2124250/lock-up-torque-converter-problem/p1](http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2124250/lock-up-torque-converter-problem/p1) ---
**Author:** ![kmccune](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/kmccune/32/1237_2.png) [@kmccune](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kmccune)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/24 "2015-07-11T15:10:06Z")
Slip a good used one in there and run it another 50k,I had trouble on a site with people who seemed to be kids,one was razing my use of a hypen(this kid called it a"space bar") and other things that were quite silly.Apparently trolls dont like to have an intelligent discussion. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/25 "2015-07-11T20:08:08Z")
Have you tried another tube of “snake oil”? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/26 "2015-07-11T20:35:06Z")
No @insightful. I just opted to disable the lock up clutch and end the agravation. Digging out how to disable it took a great deal longer than the actual disabling. As for replacing the transmission with a used part mine is a '91 and later models will not mate up to my computer. It’s problems like this that make me wish that I had repaired my old '81 F150 that had a 4 speed manual and 1 bbl carburetor. It was stolen in Memphis and driven to Tunica Mississippi where it was abandoned after overheating so badly that it had virtually no compression. I was amazed that anyone would steal that old beater. It required a lot of work to break the column open to get at the lock. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 7:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/27 "2015-12-05T07:20:36Z")
The old truck was doing well for quite a while but today it went out to pasture. While driving in town I slowed and turned a corner and then attempted to accelerate but got a loud thud, engine racing but no power to wheels. I donated it to a local shelter for abused women that said they would clear a couple of hundred on it for scrap. The snake oil added about 2,500 miles of use to the truck so I feel sure it was worth the price. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/28 "2015-12-05T22:54:05Z")
@“Rod Knox”, what will you replace it with? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/29 "2015-12-05T23:01:26Z")
I’ll be visiting local auctions in the next few weeks @jtsanders. And I’ll just play my hunches on what will be a good deal. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585/30 "2015-12-05T23:07:33Z")
Good luck. With your background, I’m sure you can find a good buy with your own evaluation. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-new-snake-oil-only-time-will-tell/89585.md?page=1)