I haven't read all the posts so don't shoot me if some of this was covered already... just giving you my 2 cents!

>1. Why does mine make a whistle/humming sound if coasting at
>about 30-35?

Does it sound like a spooling turbo? If so, it's normal... otherwise, I don't know.

>2. Why does mine roll backwards if parked on a hill? It never
>did before.

It'll do that too, ATs do that. When you give it some forward acceleration you'll get a nice clunking sound. Dat's bad, push your brake in! It's normal!

>3. Does the tranny have a mysterious 5th/passing gear?
>Sometimes when I mash the gas it will shift and really take
>off, but sometimes it stays in the same gear and moves slower
>than it would if it had just shifted, under the same
>conditions.

That's your torque converter lockup function. Again, it's supposed to do that. It sucks but the only way to change it is a different torque converter with no lockup function. Lockup is when the torque converter stops "slipping" and is fully engaged for cruising. The bad thing is that when you're racing you don't want it to happen because it slows you down. Lift the accelerator a little, real quick, and push it back down. The rpms will jump back up until you get lockup again.

>4. How do u change the all the fluid without removing the tq
>convertor? When i change mine I only get about 1.5-2 gallons
>out, but the manuel says there 9 quarts.

Remove the torque converter or take it to a shop with a special piece of equipment. The torque converter holds a *lot* of fluid!

>5. Are there 2 tranny kits? A valve body and a shift kit.

The TransGo shift kit is a collection of springs, washers, and seals. You pull your valve body and modify it yourself. Not for the average mechanic.

Levelten.com makes a performance modified valve body that is a direct replacement.

>6. Why do I have a small piece of rubber hose splicing one
>tranny line together? It is located right under the radiator,
>but below the bumper and everything.

The small piece of rubber hose between the hard lines is there so you can disconnect the line when pulling the radiator out.

>7. Why do I have 3 different colors in my tranny fluid. Red,
>Black, and Shiny metal, also sometimes white foam.

Red = tranny fluid.
Black = tranny fluid that has lost it's lubicating properties and is worn.
Silver = BAD! It's metal shavings! Somethings starting to wear down!

Change your fluid!

Flush your tranny well. Use ATF+3... it's thicker than +4. Invest in a tranny cooler and external filter. Cross your fingers. Good luck! Hope I couled help.