Well after scratching my head till I had another hole in it about where the fluid was going I thought I might check the vacuum line to the modulator valve - bingo - it must have a hole in the diaphram and it's sucking into the engine (probably not a good thing either). Under $20 at AZ, way more at Advance. Changing it tomorrow and hopefully no more adding fluid in my honey-do list (my wife has the 93 extended 2wd Aero, my 96 cargo is just fine, so far).

Your '96 won't have a vacuum modulator - it is electronic. The leaky modulator undoubtedly affected your shifting on the '93.