New Wagon 93 Tracer

Hello everyone,

New user to this MB. I have just purchased a 1993 Mercury Tracer wagon. It has a few issues, and I can deal with most of myself; Front brakes, broken sway-bar end, rear shocks, and it needs a New Stereo! But the one that is perhpas beyond my Parts-Changing abilities is the Auto-Transmission. It shifts fine in all gears, and the fluid is a nice color, smells good, etc...But when you put it in Drive, it is IN Drive! It's not starting in the lower gears. If you shift it into 1st, you are in 1st, same for 2nd, D, and OD. Almost like a Manual Valve body. Another thing I'm seeing is that it idles HIGH in Neutral. Around 3K. I'm thinking maybe there's a connection. Vacuum line for tranny missing, leaking, etc...Maybe they are unrelated. I have looked for a vacuum leak, and no joy.

Any ideas on the Tranny though? My next move is AAMCO.

Thanks,
Fat Tony