Down shifting a green dot...

[lnevill]

Maybe a stupid question, but...

So I'm taking my 66 GT350H into a corner in 3rd gear and want to manually downshift into 2nd. Pull it into green dot and it stays in 3rd. Next choice is 1st...

How does one go about downshifting a 66 green dot C4 from 3rd to 2nd?

Thanks!
Lee

[papa scoops]

not sure that you can. d is 1 2 3,green dot is 2 3 and l is 1. maybe change the valve body and shifter to later style? phred

[OldGuy]

As I remember (its been a while since I drove a "green dot" automatic), normal driving should be done by placing the selector in the green dot position. In that position, the transmission will shift through all three gears (normal). If you want the transmission to start out in "second" gear, you put the selector in the white dot position and the transmission will shift from second to third. If you want the transmission to downshift from third to second gear, you pull the selector back into L (low) from the green dot position and it will downshift to second if your speed is above around 25(?) mph and then drop into low as your speed decreases through the 25 mph threshold.

Frank

[jk66gt350]

What OldGuy said is also what I recall of those automatics I drove back then.

[Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas]

+1

[lnevill]

Pulling the automatic into 1st at 60mph + is going to take some balls the first time...

Lee

[shelbydoug]

Pulling the automatic into 1st at 60mph + is going to take some balls the first time...

Lee

No, those probably will get torn off by the reaction. Stupidity is what that would take.

I've manually shifted my C4 and I think it was at 7200 rpm at 60. Not down shifted it. I think you will definitely break something. If not on the car, on you.

[lnevill]

So you see the dilemma... Shelbydoug has the same reaction I did to downshifting from 3rd to 2nd by putting the car in 1st (seems stupid), but others are saying yeah that is exactly what you do.

So if I understand this correctly if I want to downshift my greendot from 3rd to 2nd I pull the lever into 1st; If my speed is above 25 (+/-) it will shift into 2nd and not into 1st. Correct? I sure hope so!


Lee

[OldGuy]

If your transmission is essentially stock and has not had a "go fast" shift kit installed (which could allow total manual control) it should work as described. Try it at say 40 mph to give yourself a little confidence.

I didn't explain the process of manually upshifting your green dot transmission in my first post.

To manually upshift your transmission, start out with your shift lever in Low and accelerate to your desired shift rpm. When your reach that rpm, move your selector into the normal green dot detent until the transmission shifts into second gear. When it shifts into second, pull the lever back into low. This action will hold the transmission in second gear until you reach your second-to-third gear shift point. At that point, move the selector back to "green dot" and the transmission will shift into third gear.

Ford really had a "better idea" in 1967 when they changed the valve body and made the 1, 2, 3 shift selector.

I hope this info. helps.

Frank

[lnevill]

Perfect! You shift into 1st to stay in 2nd... maybe these engineers went on to Microsoft...

Thanks Frank. Your explanation helps a lot.

Lee

[Side-Oilers]

This is not a Ford comment, but recounts a similar experience:  I had a '64 Eldorado with the first-year Turbo 400. The selector was PRNDL, even though it was a three-speed.

To hold second gear, you had to do the same "drop it back into L" thingy as with the green dot.

I'm glad GM came to their senses soon afterward with their selector too.

[68stangcjfb]

The cruise o matic in my 58 Thunderbird works the exact same way. I had a friend who bought a 58 Ranchero who complained the car has no power. He was putting it in third to drive normally and always starting off in second gear and not realizing it until I showed him how to drive the car. It's amazing Ford kind of went back to the same junky set up in the 80s with the fox body AOD Mustangs having to pull back to first to stay in second because they didn't make the transmission with a second gear detent.

[gt350hr]

  Downshifting the "green dot" valve body is tricky at best. The "smart" thing to do is install a '67-69 "select shift" ( D,2,1) valve body if manual gear selection is critical.  First and second are manual ONLY with this valve body. The '67-68 shifter "box" can be used to keep the "notches" correct. Back to the green dot. A downshift from green dot to "low" should hit second gear above 40 mph and stay in second unless the mph goes down below 40 depending on the governor and gear ratio is the rear. You "could" catch low gear if you were at full throttle. If that happens , you upshift to "green dot" and immediately pull back to low after the shift to second. You still "may" hit low if the speed drops as previously mentioned. Shift kits for the green dot valve bodies will NOT correct any of this just firm up the shifts. If you already have a HiPo C4 , the kit will do NOTHING as the "kits" all use factory springs from the HiPo green dot valve body.
    Randy