2001 G V6 NO GO. Transmission problem

I just bought a 2001 V6 Galant. The previous owner said he took it in for a transmission fluid change. I don't know how long after that, but the transmission stopped working. I don't know if it made any bangs, or grinds, or noises or what, but it has no gears at all. The car runs great, just doesn't move. When sitting in park at idle, when you put it in reverse, I can hear the RPMs drop a little. When I checked the fluid level in both PARD and NEUTRAL the level was about 1.5 inches above the "hot spot" on the stick. I noticed when I first started the car, there was a ticking coming from the transmission where it meets the block. The sound was not from the lifters. The ticking would stop and then start back at idle, and in any gear.

He took the car to another shop and was told the transmission was shot, and it would cost $4000.00 for another one. Rather than have it fixed he bought another car, so I offered to buy the G from him. At 400.00 I don't know of anyone in their right mind that would pass that up. The rest of the car is perfect, a little dirty, but oh well. I don't know what maintanece was done on the car while he owned it, and he was the original buyer of the car.

The odometer says 95385, but I was told it had 185,000 miles on it. Do Galants have a space for the 1, or if it rolled over would it go back to 00000? I have worked on Chevy and Fords alot, but this is my first Japanese vehicle.

If anyone could let me know if the transmission is really shot, or if it still has hope, let me know. If its shot, I'm more than likely going manual, but if I can fix this transmission for a few hundred bucks, I'll leave it automatic for now.

The fluid is red, not burned, and smells like transmission fluid.

Thanks

Its blown a transmission pump dude, I've done this twice.

The whole transmission will have to be rebuilt.

This is where you have options for doing a 5spd swap if your interested, or getting a used auto, or getting one rebuilt.

How hard is it to rebuild these transmissions? I have automotive experience. Are there any tools that are required that only a dealer has or would spend the money to get? Is it worth rebuilding, or just getting a used one? I found a used automatic at a local JY for $650. Thats the cheapest one, the price range is from $650-$1200. I was wanting to go with a manual transmission, but I think I will put an automatic back in it and sell it. Then take that money and by me a 5 or 6 speed car. I paid $400.00 for the car, if I get a used transmission for $700.00 and install it myself, and probably another $100.00-$200.00 for gaskets, seals, transmission fluid/filter. I'll have less than $1500.00 in this car and from looking around at prices, I think I should be able to sell it for at least $3000.00. I don't really know much about prices on imports, so that number may be off.

Is there anything I can do to make sure its the pump without taking the tranny out? I have read so many different things I don't know what to look for. I have read that the transmission is shot, everything is burnt up. I have read that the torque converter splines strip off and cause this problem, and I have read that the trans pump is shot and will cause this problem. Every time I find a thread with my exact symptoms, there might be 1 reply. Most of the time that 1 reply is "Did you figure out what was wrong with your car, because I have the same problem". Does anyone have a definitive answer to my question. I don't think the transmission is burnt up, because the fluid is fine, not black or brown. I think it is either the pump, OR the torque converter because when I check the fluid it is really high. How can I tell if the problem is the TC or the pump? If it is the pump, is it easy to repair?