1987 Ford Tempo Rough/sticky shifting

Tiny
BMGRATT
  • MEMBER
  • 1987 FORD TEMPO
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 98,981 MILES
I have a 1987 ford tempo that is in very good shape and runs like a cat purring.(Even after sitting under a pine tree for six months) However I experience very rough and regulated shifting and it is only shifting 3 gears. It shifts between 20 and 25 and between 35 and 40 and thats it. After that the rpms just keep rising. At 50 it runs 3k rpms and t 70 3.5. Is that normal or is the tranny sticking (should there be anyother gear? Also it has a rev meter on it and no matter how slowly I accelerate it will not shift until it reaches the above mentioned speeds. Finally when I am going up hill at low speeds and let go of the accelerator the car will shift up very harshly (It almost feels as if somone bumped into the back of you) Perhaps my tranny is on its last leg? If it is just gummed up is there anything that I could perhaps add to the tranny fluid to clean it out or maby get the tranny flushed? Any advise would be appriciated. PS: I'm a college student so if there is anything that is inexpencive that may not fix the problem but will help let me know that also
Please, Thank You, and God Bless

Brian G.
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Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 AT 12:46 AM

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Tiny
ANTHEMBASSMAN
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  • 16 POSTS
-Your Tempo only has a three speed tranny in it. The shift points you mentioned seem pretty close to normal. Trust me, driving from Ohio to South Carolina quite a bit in my Tempo, you realize how much one extra gear is needed. The poor car sounds like a chainsaw buzzing down the Interstate.

-As for the hard shifting while going uphill, it might just be a loose or worn tranny or engine mount. Also a fluid and filter change could work wonders for smoothing it out. I'd recommend using Valvoline MaxLife trany fluid.

Matt D.
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Thursday, January 10th, 2008 AT 4:20 PM

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