Thank you, analogdad , for info - just couple days ago i saw your story and read it... and that was my " hm-m...maybe it was not TQ..." moment. Back in 2005 when i got this car with 99000 on clock - i dropped tranny pan - all clear, magnets clear and filter was ok. So i put everything back - replaced oil with Mobil1 Synthetic by " carousel " - 2 Qt out - 2 Qt in... and since that time only tranny maintenance was - once a week or so just checked ATF level. When car reached 155-160K i began to see some weird reading on tranny dipstick... too low or too high - but no leak at all, and exactly that time a lil-bit noise ( as u perfectly described in your car story ) began to show-up. Still driveability was perfect - and no any codes. And this summer " sickness " win... Last weekend my friend " audible forced " me to pull down pan from tranny - in his garage...so i obey my dear friend request... Pan down - no metal deposits on magnets or anywhere ( except there is one phillips screw at the magnet, no sign or scratches, with perfect thread... similar to one at the photo by red arrow ) - just dark grease-like thin layer all around of the pan bottom.Rubbed this substance between fingers - did not feel any small pieces of anything hard, just grease like stuff. Opened VADIS for info how-to testing S1, S2, SL and STH solenoids: S1, S2 and SL should read between 10 and 15 ohm, STH between 2 and 6. Tested, and results: S1 - 12.8 ohm, S2 - 12.8 ohm, SL - 12.6 ohm and STH - 4.0 ohm. Looks like they ok, no visible deterioration anywhere. Got idea to test them by 12 volt and see how they actually worked - but not sure if they use 12 volt or no ... and STH solenoid have 2 separate pins inside plug - resistance was checked between those 2 connectors ... and no idea what correct voltage need for each of them ... Maybe checking resistance is good enough and i am just overkilling this test...as usual in my life. Then i take out ATF filter ... well, it does not contains anything big or suspicious - but all area of filter grid was covered by thin layer of fiber like/fabric material ( maybe from clutch disks... almost like on laundry dryer filter, even layer) , plus there is 3 opening that covered around with cork style material - those almost flat and hard as rock . On past Monday i looked at rockauto for ATF filter - saw one for 1.05 ( closing ) and another for 1.40 or so ... Ordered both - got them on Wednesday eve by DHL - for total price less than 18.00 First time using rockauto, not bad.One made in China, another - Taiwan , both have oil pan gasket from rubberised kind of material. Local AutoZone show price 16.99 or so for one w/out pan gasket. Tonight will go back to my friend garage - make good clean-up, put back solenoids, oil filter, and pan, going to put Walmart brand ATF for now ... and may Lord give to all of us His endless blessings...