Rough shifting

I have a kick around car, 1994 Ford Taurus. I am affraid it may be on it's last leg. I know it is old but want some imput.

The car shifts a bit rough from 1st to 2nd. This happens about 50Z% of the time. I live in the city so I am in lower gears most often.

The fluid is brown. I was going to flush but was told not to. I was told the detergents in the fluid would clean it up to much and the tranny would die. Is this the case? What is best to do, leave it be, flush it of get ride of the car now.

i do not feel it is going to die but the other half thinks it will. I think it is just an old car and cannot be held up to the standards of a new car.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

TRUST ME CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID
that is the BEST thing that you can do for it drain all the fluid from the transmission let it drain for about 35 mins to get all the fluid out then go and buy new transmission fluid along with LUCAS
but that in and I quarantee you will see a BIG difference I have a 93 lincoln with the same motor and transmission my transmission would not get out of frist gear I did a change of fluid and filter and put some lucas in and the transmission shifts like brand new
I have no clue who told you not to chang the transmission but he/she should not be around cars
PLEASE GET BACK TO ME TO LET ME KNOW

I agree with linciln, but I would actually go one step further. I would drop the pan and change the filter.

One thing, do not use a power flush as some of the mechanics are avertising. For some strange reason, this does not agree with a Ford tranny. I may have something to do with placing cold fluid in a warm transmission while the pump circuit is activated. I have seen several just quite after runiing this flush, usually within 500 to 1000 miles.

If you really want to do a good flush, it will cost a little more on fluid, but I do it this way. I warm up the tranny. Then, I crack the seal on the pan, remove it and drain all I can drain. I place the pan back and fill it up to the cold level mark and then drive for about five miles. Bring it back, drop the pan, change the filter and then refil, leaving 1 quart shy. Then as Lincold states, add the recommended amount of Lucas, start it up in neutral and let it idle for about five minutes (checking the fluid level, de not let it get below minimum). After the warmup, shift it back and forth about ten times between reverse and low. Top it off and then go for a drive.

Flushing it this way will get most of the old fluid out of the converter and also most of the junk that has accumulated in the the case.

If you are really mechanically inclined, you may want to pull the service manual and tighten up the first gear band a little. This will give your a little harder shift between first and second, saving a lot of wear.

yep yep I forgot to say drop the pan but i did say chang the filter i also would never go and get a power flush they dont do anything with out a clean filter good luck