Geez, I just know I'm going to get laughed at for this ... but 2 guys with mustangs didn't know too, so I don't feel so bad

This is a link to the shift lever bezel. Now, remember, I've never even gotten the mustang over 20 mph, so I wouldn't know this. The bezel says "P .. R .. N .. little dot .. big dot .. L"

Which one is the real drive?

 

The shifter is for a green dot transmission. If that is what you have then you have to drive it in the big dot. The other dot will start in 2nd gear and then shift the 3rd gear. The big dot will shift 1,2,3. Actually that is not a stupid question and a lot of people drive in the wrong one.

 

cool, yea that is what I have. Thanks

 

you learn something everyday...I never heard of a green dot trans. What's that all about? We never had them by that name in Oz

 

It was some silly idea that Ford had back in the day. The idea was to give the costomer a gear that would put less power to the ground for improved traction in low traction conditions (Wet/Snowy roads). My first car had one when I was 16 and I had to read the owners manual to figure it out. Now adays it is very possible to have a green dot shifter with a regualr C4 so it really gets confusing.

 

doesnt sound too silly to me?

 

Come on man, who wants a drive gear that starts in second. Overdrive would have been a better idea.

 

Doesn't seem silly to me either. Don't all transmissions do that when you put them in 2 instead of drive? My friends Merceded actually has a winter setting on the transmission that makes it pull out in a higher gear.

 

No, on a regular C4 if you start in 2nd it will stay in 2nd. The green dot will shift to 3rd automaticly.

 

regular c4 should start in 1 even if you put the shifter in 2 from start. It wont then go to 3.
FMX trans had this 2nd gear feature and it was sposed to be for low traction situations but it also wont go to 3 unless you change it.

what years and cars had this green dot business?