Why would a stall TICK?
 

I thought it was a bad exhaust leak or worse a lifter or something in the motor. So I jacked the car up and listened and its coming from the torque converter area. Its not hitting on anything, I tightened all the bolts to the flexplate and it's still ticking. It goes away as it revs up or the ticks are so fast it becomes a constant inaudible sound, but at idle is when you can hear it. It's just started doing that within the last week. Fluid level is good and the tranny doesn't leak.

The stall is a Vigilante 3000. I've also noticed when it downshifts, it will downshift and then downshift again. This has also just started happening and sometimes it won't downshift at all like around 70mph.

Give me some ideas? Is the stall fubar'd? Is the tranny fubar'd? If so I'm doing a 6spd swap.

Mine is doing the same exact thing. The last time I had one do that I broke an ear on the torque converter. (The ear on the part that slides into the trans). Pretty much replace the trans time at that point. metal gets everywhere. Either that or something broke in the converter. Or it could be a failing front pump? Regardless it is not a happy thing.

Serious?! The sound is getting more pronounced.....and embarassing. Great. It just might be 6spd time after all.

Seriously. Only way to really check will be to unbolt the transmission from the engine so you can take the Converter off. Then you can see if it rattles when you move it, you can check the ears on the part that slips over the shaft, and you can check your flexplate (forgot that can make a ticking sound as well if it is cracked.)

If the Converter rattles, then you know that is it, if the ears are broken, time for a rebuild. I have no idea how you would check the front pump other than removing it.. and I have never done that. The flexplate seems common as well. You will want to look for cracks all over it. Would suck to have a flexplate grenade on you while driving.

Yeah my first guess would be cracked flexplate. But that wouldn't cause any shifting issues.

same here..........

I missed the shifting issues. I would suspect the Torque Converter or front pump then. Only two things there really that will tick like that, and control fluid pressure.

Well, do higher stalls double downshift? Is there anyway to remove the flywheel to inspect it with the tranny still connected? Probably dumb question, but I'm a zombie right now.

You can remove the cover on the bottom, but it is much easier to inspect it with the trans off the plate. Also, the Stall should be like any other stall including the stock one. should only "shift" once. sounds more like a pressure issue caused by a failing part.

Double downshifting doesn't happen all the time. The inspection plate was removed a long time ago. I'll jack it up tomorrow and have a look see.

Also, I did a search and there was a video of a guys cracked flex plate and it sounds EXACTLY like mine. Check it out.

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...t=MOV00957.flv

So my fingers are crossed hoping thats all it is.

Have you used a scope to fine out exactly on which side it is ticking? Even some hose to the ear will help. granted you have to be pretty careful. To the trans side of converter = bad. to the flywheel side = not as bad, but probably the plate.

A loose converter bolt will make that same exact noise, I've seen/heard it twice. Take the inspection cover off and check all the converter to flexplate bolts before you spend any money :) , maybe you'll get off cheap.

The TC bolts were all tight like I said in the original post. I just looked at the flex plate and from what I could tell, there was no cracks. I also thumped the stall and flexplate a couple times thinking I could maybe hear something loose inside. Nope. Obviously I'm not the Incredible Hulk so it probably wasn't anything enough to jar whatever is loose.

Ooops lol, sorry bout that. Guess I should slow down and make sure I read the whole post huh?

you will not really be able to thump the things to figure out if there is anything loose. only way to do that is to remove the TC. Doing that is not really that hard, just have to support the trans and engine. But removal of the TC will let you know a few things and let you see them. the only thing after that would be te front pump if everything on the TC checks out normal. At least I think so unless I am missing a rotating part up there.