Nissan Repair: Transmission RPMs, sanders well, easy job

Question
Darrel,
I just purchased a 1992 4WD Pathfinder with 147K miles.  V6 engine and automatic tranmission.  It seems to shift at high rpm's between 2nd and 3rd; and 3rd to Overdrive.  Both of these shifts are at 3,000 rpm's.  From 1st to 2nd, it shifts at a normal 2,000 rpm.

If I do a real slow take off from a stop, it will shift at around 2,000 rpm's from 2nd to 3rd, but with any gas at all, it runs the rpm's to 3,000 plus.

The fuild is dark and smelly. Three days ago, I put in a quart of TransMedX.

Is the high rpm's normal, or do I have a fixable problem?  Will a filter and fluid change do any good?

Thanks,
Bert Sanders

Answer
Well Bert a Filter and Fluid change will do good.  But you need to check modulator, if it is bad this will cause your transmission to shift at the high RPM's.  

The modulator is located on the transmission itself.

Also, if it is doing this the bands are no good in the transmission.  Cause of this is due to someone tightening them to tight.

The modulator tells the bands when to grip, if they are not gripping when it is supposed to this will cause the RPM's to go higher until it shifts.  

The bands are burning which is causing your fluids to look and smell as they do.

You can either take it to your dealership or a shop that specializes in Transmissions for this is not an easy job to fix.