Transmission help

I'd like to solicite some advice/recomendations. I just bought a 97 taurus and took it driving realy for the first time other than around the bock and it does not shift into overdrive. This is after taking about 3 liters of fluid out of the transmission so that it would be at the top of the cross hatching on the dipstick when warm and not half way up the dipstick tube. What are the first things to look for? and it seams from reading the posts that if the transmission fluid has never been changed in the AX4N it should not be or the tranny will take a dump is that correct if not is it a good idea to change the fluid (not flush), change the filter and some lucus transmission fluid addative or another brand.

Thanks

Jeff

Are you checking the tranny fluid level as per the owners manual -with the car warmed up, in park and RUNNING? 2 liters is almost 4 quarts. Thats alot of fluid to take out. If you check the fluid level with car not running it will look like the trans is overfilled. Check it with engine running. BrianH

Brian, I was surprised by how much extra fluid there was also. I check with car warm and at idle aftert running through the gears. Yesterday I took it out on the highway it is not shifing into overdrive all other shifts are smooth and the speedo is acting normal so i think it may be broaken clip in the valve body that I saw referenced in other posts about OD problems. Anyway after returing home with car fully at operating temp the level was about 1/8th of an inch above the cross hatching on the dipstick (with the car ideling).

thanks for the response, any thoughts on the lack of overdrive which was also accompanied by a flashing O/D off light.

Jeff