Ok, I am aware of the overall thread for this model, and I attempted to search. My (assumed) problem is that my color wheel was making a noise and my picture was coming in and out, then would work for hours on end, then start making noises again. Well just recently I get no noise or picture at all but I get sound, does this mean my color wheel is completely toast? Or is it possible that my color wheel was never the problem and the problem lies somewhere else?

Pull the lamp and look at it

Pull the lamp and look at it

What exactly am I looking for?

A popped lamp- discolored spot(s) in the glass, hole in the stem, cracked stem, burnt/separated wire running to stem, burn/haze over the reflector...