2k Trooper w/ sucking sound & shifting problems, now dead

Hello. I have a 2000 Trooper (3.5 L) w/ major oil consumption problems that I've just learned to except and monitor.

However...last week I noticed that the engine was making a sucking noise from the engine compartment. This was followed up a few days later by strange shifting - the engine would rev to about 4000 rpms when the auto-trans would try shifting from what felt like 2nd to 3rd.

Reading the forums here, I was suspecting a bad intake manifold gasket and was ready to take it in for this and a good EGR cleaning.

However - I parked the vehicle today for a quick trip into the post office, and when I came back out to try to start it, the engine struggled to turn and then I ended up with nothing but a a "click, click, click". I tried jumping it to rule out the obvious, and that didn't help at all.

The vehicle is about 50 miles from my service station, so I'd really like to do all I can to get it going in order to drive it in.'

What could this be? I read in a similar post that this might be an alternator or the electrical connection to the tranny is loose and dirty. But then...why the sucking sound? Perhaps I have two separate problems?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Dave

I forgot to mention....check engine light's been on as well.