I've tried the fuel injector cleaner and actually had the fuel filter replaced again at 116K miles when I brought it back to the dealer for a 4-wheel alignment and 4 new tires ( only Wal-mart could beat the dealers prices on tires, and that included checking Tire-Rack and using a local installer, and all the "name" brand shops).
Tonight I will try to sneak the car up to 90 mph. I'm pretty sure that I can smoothly accelerate through the gears. Once I'm in OD I'm pretty sure I can raise rpms to over 3500 will no issues. So I would tend to rule out ignition, coil, wire issues. Of course I'm a scientist not a mechanic so I could be wrong. The problem I have is when the transmission "kicks down" a gear to accelerate. It's almost like it jumps from O/D to 2nd causing the rpms to go from 2100 to 3500 at which it like a rev limiter cuts the ignition, so now theres no load on the trans so it switches back to O/D revs drop to 3000, then trans kicks back down to 2nd and the process just keeps repeating itself until I lift off the gas. Of course the process I just described happens repeatably in the course of seconds, so the car jerks and jumps as the tranny gets loaded up in a low gear to high rpms. If I had to guess I would think that this is somehow related to a sensor ( mechanical or electronic ) that controls the transmission. but I'm just a backyard mechanic who fights to keep my 89 Bronco running. I'll take the Taurus to Autozone tonight and see if they can run the codes for me. Maybe some were set even though the check engine light never came on. I'll post more info tomorrow. Thanks for your reply. I should head over to the Bronco forum, I could probably help someone over there since I've kept mine running for close to 160K miles. Heck I just changed the original water pump at 159K miles, that might just be a record.
I'm not bringing it to dealer because if it is going to be a major repair, I'll probably just trade it in a Fusion.