auto tranny filter

[hamburglar]

Ok this is the first auto tranny car i've ever owned. To change the tranny filter do I have to drop the little pan on the tranny? Then its just right there? I got a filter and it comes with a gasket that looked like one for the pan on the tranny. I just have no experiance doing this stuff and wanted to make sure thats what you do before I mess something up. The car is a 89 auto if that matters.

[miami man]

yes remove the pan and unbolt the filter. there is another drain plug on the bottom of the trans to remove some of the trans fluid also. i purchased a syphon pump from harbor freight for about 10.00 and stuck one end of the hose on the trans filler tube all the way
down and pump it untill it is finished pumping the fluid then unbolt the pan and it will not be that big of a mess. i also used that pump to remove trans fluid to keep fresh trans fluid in it between trans fluid changes.

[miami man]

years ago lee filters would have the auto trans gasket on a flat card when sold so installing was easier but now they fold them up and put it in a box which creases the gasket. also lee had the bolt holes on the gasket smaller than the bolts so you could screw in the bolts while the pan was out of the car the gasket would hold the bolts for you so you could use one hand to hold up the pan and the other hand to do the wrenching. i miss those lee gaskets! it made it easy to do the auto trans work.