I recently purchased a 93 dakota 4x4 auto with the 318. So I have the 46rh tranny. Today it started making this weird clicking noise. I got underneath it to try and track it down. It is coming from the flex plate/torque converter. Also the tranny is leaking from that area as well. I know the leak is the input shaft seal or the torque converter, not sure which until I get the chance to pull the tranny. Other than the ticking and leak the tranny is acting fine, it still shifts normally and is not making any other noises. Then tonight I brain farted and topped off the tranny with a quart of Dexron IV. After I topped it off the tranny was pissing fluid. (If the Dexron is thinner than ATF+4 then that would probably explain why the leak was worse right after I added it.) Starting to get scared at this point because I thought the ticking might have been related to a low fluid level. By the way the ticking matches engine speed, slower at idle and gets faster as revs increase even when stopped or in neutral. Help this is my daily driver and I really don't have the time to pull the tranny right now unless I really have to.

 

The leak can only be the seal. As for the tick. Maybe a loose bolt for the flex plate to the torque converter.

 

Update. When I started the truck this morning there was no ticking but buy the time I drove 30 minutes to work it was back. So, cold-no tick, hot-tick. How bad is it that I put the Dexron in it? Do I need to drain it or is letting it leak out on its own ok? I will check the flex plate to torque converter bolts and repost.

 

I don't think I've ever heard a transmission tick before. Are you certain it's coming from the transmission and not the engine. The symptoms sound more like an engine tick, especially because you say it matches engine speed. When the engine is cold the oil is thick and as the engine heats up the oil thins out and anything with play will begin to rattle or tick.

+1 agree with the front seal being your leak culprit.

 

I am late in posting this but I found out what all the problems were. The ticking was the flex plate. All but one of the spokes was completely cracked through and that last one was cracked about half way, through it away before I thought about taking pics. The leak was the front seal, probably from excessive wobbling from the seriously damaged flex plate. Had the tranny rebuilt at a very highly recommended transmission shop here locally.

 

Good to hear you got her fixed!