88 Camry shifting at high RPMs

1988 Camry I4. Just bought the car. Replaced all fluids and filters, they were in good condition. Problem was here before the fluid change. Speedometer works fine.

Trans won't shift until high RPM's and while driving at normal speeds like 35 or 55 it stays in the lower gear causing serious fuel consumption. However when I have the throttle like 1/2 to 3/4 open it seems to shift at normal RPMs, but then again when I let off to cruise at normal speed it shifts right back down. So I'm thinking it's the TPS and I start lookin at it and it appears that the PO replaced it with a new one. So I fully adjust it and it doesn't help, so I unplug it and then it shifts immediately into 2nd then immediately to 3rd and so on. Oh and the kickdown does not work either, I have fully adjusted it in and out and it actually upshifts when pedal to the floor rather than downshift.

I pulled the check engine code revealing that the ECU is not getting an RPM signal which supposedly comes from the distributor.

So where is the correlation of all of this. If the RPM signal was causing the prob with the ECU telling the trans when to shift then why does it respond to the different throttle positions.

Anyone had similar probs? Thanks, everyone.

I have a similar problem. My car shifts out of 1st gear harder than all the other gears. I have looked up many different things. First, my problem is that the o/d light doesnt show so i cant check the codes. However, you can run a wire from the ect to the e1 to check the 2 speed sensors, input and output and the 3 solenoids that may cause early or late shifting.

The system is running in a form of "limp" mode where the RPM sensor reading is disregarded. The engine and transmission can still function from the other sensors, but have to rely on secondary data such as from the VSS, TPS, etc., as well as a pre-programmed set of operational curves.

Yes, the engine does get its RPM signal from a sensor in the distributor. It is a Hall effect sensor. You do not need to remove the whole distributor to replace it. Just remove the cap and rotor and you will see it off to one side next to the distributor shaft and the pointer that denotes TDC for the sensor. Hope this helps!