'88 Camry shifting issues

[shalb]

I have an '88 Camry V6 LE and sometimes when I drive it (usually when I first start it up and it's cold outside), the car will have trouble getting to third. When it tries to shift, the engine shoots past 4000 rpm and continues climbing but stays on 2nd gear. It's automatic transmission and third shifts around 40 mph with overdrive on. If I turn off overdrive, I don't have this problem as there's no need to shift. After driving the car a while, the shifting issue goes away. Or, if the temperature isn't as cold, I don't have the problem. Does anyone know what might be wrong?

[atobe]

that's prefectly normal... and @ 40mph it's going into 4th already... car does this to warm up the engine... it usually won't go into 4th till the coolant reaches a certain temperature.. most older toyota does this mine used to do it too... also my toyota truck

[shalb]

Right, I was counting the number of shifts, not the actual number of gears. Hm... I don't remember having to warm up the coolant before. It started happening in the past five or six years and I've had this car since '88.

Edit: I forgot to mention that when it hits 4th gear and the engine goes past 4000rpm, the car grinds to a stop, unable to accelerate. The only way is to stop the car and go again.