Please help rpm issue

[cerati.z]

It started today...when i left my house i noticed i would press on the accelerator and the rpms would shoot up past 3500 close to 4000....now
i had barley pushed on the gas...i let up for a second and the rpm needle came down hard...to about 1000 and kinda bonced and settled in at 2000 now i gently push on the gas and the car picks up speed...now i pretty sure it starts to pick up speed but the rpm needle hovers around 2000 to 2500 and i can feel it change gears....my car is a 99 escort dual overhead cam...not the zx2....any suggestions...to me it feels like its not getting air...

[amac209]

check the tranny fluid. it's either low or so dirty it's making the valve body stick. or the tranny is already burnt up.

[cerati.z]

Update: well i think its the trans. i drove on the expressway and the engine was reving high like if i had it in low gear...it won't go past 50mph
and at the speed the rpms are at 3500 but the engine doesn't sound to good....

[amac209]

time to start shopping for a good mechanic. have you ever had the tranny fluid/filter changed?? for most vehicles i recomend changing them every 50,000 miles. but in your case something tells me that won't help.