Starting

[Eric wolf]

My car will only start in Neutral, is this normal for these?
What can be done so it will start in Park?

[Barry Wolk]

There's a kit, but why bother? You'll get used to it.

[Lee Craner]

I have a placard that I keep in the glove box and pull it out and place it on the dash when I valet my Mark ii. It states, "Notice to Valet. . . This vehicle will only start in Neutral. The fact that it will not start in Park is not a defect, it was manufactured that way."

Lee

[Milsteads Garage]

Not that these cars are known for it but starting in neutral eliminates the possibility of these cars jumping into reverse unexpectedly. I’ve never had a problem like that concerning a Mark II but the later, suicide door Lincoln’s will jump out of park on their own. I’d say leave well enough alone.

[Knickoliss Iv]

I have to add to make sure your parking brake system is 100% adjusted and in order and always use it. It makes neutral starting and shifting in general so much easier and safer.

[Eric wolf]

Thanks for thr relpies.

[Don Henschel]

I never knew life was so hard???? When I purchased 3391 in 1993 I had no internet and realized it only started in neutral. Okay pop the selector in neutral and twist the key and life goes on! That was 32 years ago and still continue to start it in neutral. My 50 Mercury has a manual transmission and I start it in gear or in neutral but always have the clutch pushed in before I reach for the starter button on the LH side of the dash and in this case I have to remember to turn the key on or the starter will just crank. If Mark II owners find starting in neutral complicated, my pickup is a 1984 Ford F150 and you would be amazed at how many cannot figure out how to start a car or truck with an automatic choke! What is a choke and what is a carburetor??
As for making sure your park brake is in working order, regardless if starting in neutral or park, I make sure my park brake always works. A FOOL will park these cars weighing over 5000 pounds on a STEEP hill and then BANG when you have to force it out! Look at your little finger and the park pawl is only the size of your little finger with a tooth on the end that locks into a cogged wheel and I place my foot hard on the service brake and pull my park brake handle out and in neutral release the brake and if the car doesn't move I place it into park!
As for the stupid over priced kit to start in park, it is more garbage to waste money on compared to placing in neutral. I guess many have short memories about the fact that on modern cars in order to place the selector from park into any gear you must press your brake pedal?? Are people too feeble and lame to step on the brake when they place the selector into neutral to start???
Lee Craner, also include instructions on how to start a cold engine with an automatic choke as well. Slowly press accelerator to floor and release it. When engine starts and runs on fast idle, give the accelerator pedal a quick sharp tramp to kick it off fast idle before placing in reverse or drive

[tluke]

So my '55 Cadillac doesn't even have a Park (Hydromatic). Before 1956, reverse doubles as park so naturally you can't start it there, you have to use neutral. Reverse/Park (marked only R) is on the far right and neutral (N) is on the far left. I've been doing that since the 70's so it's second nature. However, I still often try to start my Mark II in park, but I also try to start it with the battery switch under the hood disconnected.

[Eric wolf]

I have never had a car that starts in Neutral only, sorry for asking if this is an issue.

[Barry Wolk]

I thought I answered your question. I don't understand Don's response, at all. We're here to answer questions.

[Eric wolf]

Yes, thanks for the answers.
Eric.

[tluke]

Eric, don't worry about asking questions. It took the industry a few years to figure out it was better to start in park since for many years before the auto transmission, everyone had to start in neutral. Just like it took them years to figure out that with power steering you don't need that great big steering wheel. If I hadn't owned a '56 Ford in high school and several '50s Cadillacs starting in the '70s, I'm sure it would have taken me forever to figure out why I couldn't get the starter to turn the engine over on my Mark II. As Barry said, "you get used to it" and as I mentioned in a previous post you still forget sometimes anyway and try to start in park.