i have a noise that sounds like a piece of sheetmetal hitting the flywheel...it is not constant and gets louder at times.....sounds like it hitting one spot on the flywheel as though an inspection plate or dust cover has gotten loose, but i can't see anything loose underneath.....hopefully some one has experienced this and has resolved the problem....thanks

 

figured out what the problem is......all except one of the torque converter bolts had backed all the way out.....never have seen this happen before

 

I have a similar problem. Had the transmission rebuilt in my 2002 and was experiencing a hard 2-3 shift. On one particularly vicious shift the sound developed. You can only hear it at idle when putting the vehicle in D or R, and a couple clangs on startup and shut down.


Shop thought the sound was a serpentine belt tensioner but that was not it and I confirmed with an automotive stethoscope that none of the belt driven components were generating the noise. I had remembered your post.


Transmission is now being pulled again (under the repair warranty) so they can fix the #2 solenoid which was code-diagnosed by a Mitsubishi dealer. I hope they find loose flywheel or torque converter bolts and will report.