Ok guys looking at a 94 3.0 ranger with the 4r44 (I think that's what it is, I know 4r__), I believe it is a simple issue but need yalls advice.. it will reach about 35mph in second higher rpms and will not want to upshot to 3rd under normal throttle,however if I barely touch the throttle it will shift into 3rd and OD, but if I hit the throttle a little more than 1/8-1/4, it will kick down to 2nd.. initial thought was kick down cable but it seems it is a vacuum driven kick down system, is that correct? Also there is a vacuum running from manifold port to trans next to cat converter, straight flow, should it have any restrictors on it to slow the vacuum down to keep from down shifting.

Sorry for the book but want to give a much info as possible

Edit: upon looking up a little bit it seems that truck would come with the A4LD trans

 

Maybe the modulator diaphragm on the passenger side of the tranny is leaking vacuum. Is the modulator vacuum line running up to the intake manifold wet inside with tranny fluid??? If so, suspect the diaphragm is leaking & intake vacuum is sucking tranny fluid into the intake manifold.

 

I did pull the line after running it and did not see any trace of oil in it, nor any smoke from the exhaust as if it was pulling it.. with it holding a low idle I believe there is some vacuum issue going on, from what we noticed the rubber hos going from steel line to modulator is soft, but really couldn't do much thanks to just running it and was a little too warm on the cat for comfort. But would that be a correct guess in that controlling the shifting/kick down of the trans? I have read up a little on it but the pages I find confuse me, should it be pulling a heavier vacuum under load vs idle, heavier vacuum telling it to upshift, or am I completely barking up a wrong tree on my guesses lol

 

Engine vacuum is higher at idle. Sounds like something else is going on with the tranny shifting issues. How does the tranny fluid condition look, feel & smell??? When last was the tranny fluid & filter changed & what recipe fluid was used?
Make sure that vacuum line between the modulator & intake manifold is in good condition & fits tight on both ends

 

Fluid level is a pinch high, but just barely, looks and smells normal, as far as last service or what was used, I couldn't answer, again I'm only looking to get the truck at the moment.
I want to lean towards a vacuum issue as it idles low, around 450-500 in park. With poking around under the hood I found 1 line coming from egr tube to dpms sensor broke in half and the other one dry rotted and brittle. So I imagine the rest of the rubber vacuum line won't be too far behind those ones. Again on my test drive I could get all gears to grab and smoothly, just could not give much pedal without it wanting to downshift way too easy.
From what I have researched it doesn't seem like the valve body is too bad to drop if needed.

 

Ok, good feedback on the tranny fluid level, condition & how its behaving on your test drive.
One of those lines, the smaller diameter one, going to the DPFE sensor, is a vacuum line from the intake manifold, the other larger diameter high temp rubber one, is from a fitting below the EGR valve, that feeds exhaust gas pressure to the DPFE sensor, so it's measuring the differential pressure between the intake & exhaust manifolds & if both lines are bad, it's giving the computer corrupt info, that'll cause the computer to miss-control the amount of exhaust poo it has the EGR valve feed the engine engine to eat. If the vacuum line is the one that's cracked in half, it could corrupt fuel trim lean & cause a rpm drop beyond what the IAC can adjust for.
SO, it seems there are a number of other things going on that need to be put right, before putting the tranny on your suspect list.