I want to get a little info on what can be causing the ticking sound in my trans before i bring it to a trans shop. I know nothing about autos, and want to make sure that i have some ideas on what are possible causes for the tick. This way i will have a better idea on if the trans shop is trying to sell me on rebuilding my trans when it may just be a solioid. The best way i can describe it is it sounds like a metallic ticking. It sounds like an exhaust knock. I originally thought it was an exhaust leak, but after making sure everything on the exhaust is tight i came to the conclusion its comming from the trans. It is VERY easy to hear in P and N It can be heard well in 1,2,3&4 (with foot on brake and just shifting the shifter through the gears) (it also gets slightly softer in each gear) It does not make the sound in Reverse I can vaguely hear it when driving the car, but its hard to hear which gear the faster i go. Any help at all will be greatly appreciated!

You are having the same problem i am going through right now. Its not your transmission. Its your Flywheel. Mine actually cracked in the center of the bolt pattern and made the bolts that go to the engine elongated. It makes the same noise. I would almost bet its your flywheel. Mine would do the same N or P it would be very loud and when you put it in R it would stop. The only thing i can conclude is when it has torque on the flywheel like putting it in drive or reverse. It holds it enough to where it won't tick. shifting likewise different in torquing will make it tick. I hope this helps. If it is the flywheel 40 dollar repair compared to 1400 dollar repair on transmission.

Thanks for the help. I guess i will see when i pull the motor if its the flex plate.

Unfortunately i dont think it will be that easy. Mine is making the noise in all the forward gears, and not in reverse.

Does your car feel like something is out of balance? I imagine with the flex plate not being held to the engine so tight you might feel crazy vibrations or something?

Well one way to know for sure bud. this is how i know mine is bad. Pop off the flywheel cover and grab a hold of that torque converter if it moves easy as in sloshing back and forth by turning it clockwise and then back to counter clockwise. the Center bolts are elongated like mine. I am fixing mine by putting in a T-5 transmission conversion since i have a 91 firebird i am selling parts and taking parts off to get my camaro back on the road. Another think it could be ticking is you have metal in teh torque converter if you have that ouchies tranny junk.

Ill have to check that out. I also think that the trans sound has contributed to my lack of low end power and lack of shifting down around corners.
Can the flex plate do that?