Wonder if you guys know anything about this. It is in my '84 Ford Tempo, 2.3l, 3spd auto. And please keep Ford bashing to a minimum in this thread please? Thanks.

I have noticed that lately my shift points are weird. While casual driving, the shift points are fine, but running wide open, it will shift out of first at 20-25 mph instead of the typical 30-32. Gets out of second at 55. I first suspected that the TV linkage <throttle to transmission> adjustment may have backed off, but the linkage came apart on me today <again, I will fix it some day > and the car shifted at the exact same points. As you guys know the transmission defaults to throttle wide open if the linkage fails. That completely disproves my theory. :( Also the car doesn't downshift like it used to either. Used to be able to get it to kick down at about 20-23, now it barely does it at 15-17. Same with the manual override. I have to slow down much more until it will grab 1st on the override downshift. Any body have any thoughts? I don't know whether it was gradual or sudden, but it happened pretty quick. Fluid level was fine last time I checked.

You are up there in mileage correct?

Any service, like fluid/filter ever been done to it?

Fluid level may have been fine, but what condition is it in?

Just did the fluid and filter change on it when the motor mounts were changed, a few months ago anyway. Sitting at about 207k right now, and I have every reason to believe the tranny is original.

Fluid looks perfect. The previous owners put a monster cooler on it and it doesn't abuse the fluid at all

EDIT: Plus, it was leaking like crazy before, so it pretty much had new fluid in it all the time, and it got changed when the pan was dropped for the service

How do you mean. The only adjustment that I know of is the linkage that goes from the throttle to the tranny. That is what I had originally thought, but as I also said, this linkage came apart thismorning, and when that happens, it is spring loaded to act like it is wide open. It would still shift out of first at about 20-25, when it would normally do it at 30 at least under those conditions.

Is there a TPS?

There is, but I believe it only helps control the feedback carb. I believe that the only connection is the throttle linkage.