97 ford taurus 163000 miles

a vaccum leak of any kind can affect the idle. if the tranny fluid was real brown and burnt smelling i'am sorry but i think you are wasting your time and money.
1.if the trans has never been servised on a regular basis i mean like every 30,000 miles it is toast. if you add all that clean fluid to it i would about bet you with in a few weeks you'll be a foot. not to scare ya but i have seen too many do it.
2. as for the trans gaining fluid impossible. it can only get there one way it has to be added the torque converter seperates the engine from the trans.the govner is what determains how the trans shifts it has a gear on the end of it if it gets worn it will shift funny or even skip(NOS) 8)

I realize that fluid does not magically appear.... the only thing I can figure is it was added the last time it was serviced, which was about 10,000 miles ago (and by the way at that point it was a little orangy, but still pretty clean), or possibly the last time I went for just an oil change, which was about 4,000 miles ago. I do get my car serviced on a regular basis... it is a good car and I realize regular maintenance helps to keep it that way. Though I have no way to know what was done or not done by the previous owner.

At any rate... we did change the fluid and the filter yesterday, and SO FAR it seems ok. I just got home, drove it about 25 minutes each way highway speed to the nearest town and back. I checked the fluid both before I left and after i got back, and SO FAR is still red and clean. Although, I will say, and I don't know if this is normal or not... the dipstick was very hot to the touch when I got home.

And as for it shifting funny or skipping, thats just it.... it never did. It shifts just fine and smooth, the problem was with the (overdrive?) at high speeds, and came on VERY sudden, there was no warning whatsoever.

Someone (a friend who rebuilds transmissions) also told me that if I start having problems again to get it hooked up to the computer since my engine light is on.... was betting on a solenoid (again, overdrive? or one of several other possible solenoids that I don't now remember lol) He was not sure though if they were easily accessible on my particular car or if I would be in trouble because they'd be inside the transmission?

But as it is working for now, any suggestions on what I can do to be sure?

Thanks.

well that is a good thing.i really did't mean it the way it sounded that you didn't take care of your car sorry if it sounded a little strong.and a trans kicking out of overdrive can cause the high idle.and the sloenoids are inside the trans behind the side cover. ford couldn't have made it too easy that would have been logical. all the shift points go through the VSS then the computer then the trans. i would just drive it for awhile and see what happens. and that was good advise to have it scanned for codes,it could be a trans code like third gear or overdrive slipping. or it could be an engine code like an O2 sensor or lean bank one which would be a vaccum leak. (NOS) 8)

before you jump the gun on anything dont go to a mechanic and say i think my tranny is shot can you see for me, thats just asking for it, drain or have them drain the fluid then flush it out, have them show you the fluid, if there is metal shavings the tranny is in bad shape, if no metal shavings you cAN salvage her by tender tlc.

We did empty and change the fluid, it was burnt, and there were SOME shavings, but not a lot. Some though, from what I understand, is normal for a car this age. We also added some no slip after we changed it.

Since then, I have already driven almost 300 miles, and SO FAR SO GOOD. It is hard to believe that this trouble could have simply been from too much fluid (and dirty and clogged filter), but all I can do now is wait and see I guess.

Lucky for me, I know several mechanics who are honest, and who will not take money or do work unless they feel it is justified. There are still some of those left :)

Thanks for your reply and any more suggestions you may have are welcome as well.