Automatic transmission work has always been considered hard, dirty work. And rightly so. Pulling a transmission, especially on a front-wheel-drive car or minivan, can be a long day's work. It usually involves supporting the engine while the transmission and subframe are dropped from the vehicle. Consequently, you need some type of engine hoist or engine compartment engine support to keep the engine in place, and a hoist to lift the vehicle. But these are not really transmission service tools as such.

Changing transmission fluid is another dirty job. It's a more difficult task than changing engine oil because few transmissions have a drain plug or an external fluid filter. Consequently, the lower pan must be removed from the transmission to drain the fluid and replace the filter. This requires a rather sizable catch pan and common hand tools to remove the pan bolts and filter screws.

For routine scheduled maintenance and changing ATF, a transmission fluid exchange machine is highly recommended. A simple drain and fill can leave up to half or more of the old fluid inside the torque converter. Few torque converters have a drain plug for fluid changes, so the best way to assure a complete fluid change is to use a machine that exchanges new fluid for the old.

ATF exchange machines are quick and easy to use, and the whole process only takes about 10-20 minutes depending on the vehicle....