The only oddity is that you describe both hard shifting and flaring. These conditions seem incompatible with each other. Hard shifting is caused by low vacuum and flaring is caused by high vacuum. So if both are happening in the same shifting sequence, I don't think both can be resolved by adjusting the vacuum one way or the other.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13