1995 SL2 Automatic Revving/Stalling etc...

I have seen similar questions - but I have more details on mine. Problem is twofold - I am having the engine revving issue when I barely accelerate - and the need goes up and down sporadically. I need to step on the gas and speed way up for the gear to shift - otherwise the needle just revs up between 2 and 3 1/2. It's crazy. Usually the car keeps running - but once it's done a "hyper-rev", the engine light comes on. Then sometimes -- especially when I am city driving and slowing down to a full stop at a light, the RPM needle will suddenly make a barely audible sputter noise and go down to zero, and the car stalls. I am always able to restart it - but this problem happened really infrequently when I first got the car at about 116k miles -- but now it's happening all the time. I just had the oil changed and a transmission drain and fill and my timing belt is only 4 months old. The auto guy recommeded I have "fuel system cleaning" and an "engine flush". Here's the deal. I am a poor struggling actor. I want to try to do the one thing that will correct this problem - hopefully. Is one of these the likely fix? Do I need to both? Or should I bring the car to another mechanic or a dealership and diagnose from scratch? I really can't spend a fortune and I'm hoping this is somewhat textbook. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

is the SES light on steady or blinking? auto trans i assume? if so, any "slaming" when shifting into reverse or drive and any difference when using the PERF/NORM switch?

the fuel system cleaning may help but i doubt the engine flush will(unless your timing chain was really bad, but thats another issue). i would take the intake off and look inside the throttle body for carbon build-up. if there is, buy a $5 can of sensor-safe carb and choke cleaner and spray like crazy, be sure to clean the small hole/passage in the bottom, your Idle Air Control solenoid is in there.

WOW - thanks for your quick response!
It is an automatic. When the light comes on - it stays on until I turn off the motor and restart. I DO have the weird reverse slamming - not every time, maybe 1 out of every 3 or 4 times I put it in reverse (what is that about, by the way!?). And I never use "Perf" anymore because it seemed to make my car work too hard -- should I be?

Re: your suggestion with the sensor-safe carb -- I am not a car person and I am new to LA - so I don't have friends out here that know what they are doing. Is this something to have a mechanic do - or have a lube place do - or should I be able to do this myself? I need to get it fixed soon - it's stalling all the time lately, when I slow down, or am idle at a stop. What do you think?

the reverse slam is commonly a dirty valve body, or sometimes a loose input shaft nut. there is how-to for cleaning the valve body at http://www.saturnfans.com, i can't get the exact address because the server is being rebuilt tonight. use perf mode if you wish or not, just wonder if that changed anything. the carb cleaner is extrimly easy. all you need is a flathead screwdriver and a finger. you can even pick the cleaner up at some gas stations, it none there, any parts store will have it.