When should it shift?

[FNFAL]

I have a '99 Sport with the 5R55E transmission. I just bought the Ex a month ago with 82k miles and have put about 500 miles on it myself. Today was very cold, about 12 degrees Fahrenheit, I drove it about 5 hours today and put about 60 miles on it.

Today for the first time there was a flaring issue with the trans, with the shift that happens at about 18 mph, I think this is the shift from 1 to 2? or is it 2 to 3? It revs up to about 2k, so I let off the accelerator and then it will engage the next gear. It did this about 5 or 6 times today.

I deliver mail out of this Ex on a rural route, so I make many stops, and was also in and out of 4 wheel drive many times today because of the changing road surfaces, clear blacktop to ice covered gravel.

I have just read some about the EPC solenoid and VB rebuilds, seems the main symptom that prompts that repair is a 2nd to 3rd shift flare.

So my really stupid question: When are the shifts? At what speeds? Is 1 to 2 about 18 mph, and 2 to 3 about 23 mph? Maybe my flare is 2 to 3 and I'm just not feeling the 1 to 2 shift?

And would the very cold weather exacerbate trans problems such as these?

And if it ends up I need VB and EPC solenoids work, if I bought all the parts online, for like $400 it looks like, would a transmission shop install my parts and for how much $ labor approximately?

 

[2000StreetRod]

Stock shift point

At light throttle my 2000 Sport upshifted almost as soon as the vehicle started to move. It was so quick to upshift that if I started out aggressively it would have to downshift back to 1st gear. If your vehicle is stock then I suspect you are seeing the 2>3 upshift at 18 mph. For delivering the mail you need the mechanical advantage of 1st gear to reduce the strain on your engine and transmission. I just had James of Henson Performance increase my 1>2 upshift to about 18 mph at light throttle. It is a big improvement.