Manual Tranny Fluid change?

[Drake]

I did the Diff fluid today and wanted to do the tranny fluid at the same time. I couldn't seem to get the 17mm Allen key to fit. There was something like a crossmember in the way (someone who's familiar with names can chime in). It really didn't help that the small ramps I have didn't give me a good position under the car.
so

1)What's a good way to raise all 4 corners of the car to keep the car even while being a)safe and b)high enough to work under

2)Is there a trick to fitting the Allen key in there, or will it be blaringly obvious once I get the car high enough to work under?

Sorry if the questions are weak, I'm still a newb at thsi stuff
Car=88 325is

[hamann318is]

Just jack up the front end on jack stands. I did mine with just one side jacked up.

[Drake]

Cool, thanks
Now do I need to pick up the socket attachment or will the big Allen key I got work?

[KenC]

A big allen key will work. Just make sure you can get the fill plug out before you touch the drain plug.

[Drake]

Well I finished up the job, both tranny and diff with Redline fluids.
The diff was probably the easiest job I've done on my car. The tranny on the other hand was a nuisance. The allen key I got barely fits in the area to loosen the fill plug. The drain plug was super easy, but the fill plug took about 45 minutes of screwing around to get off. At one point I even considered cutting down the allen key to make the short end of the "L" even shorter. Didn't need to though in the long run.

[DaN]

You filled them both with the car level right? Or at least to the right capacity?

[KenC]

You filled them both with the car level right? Or at least to the right capacity?

As long as the car wasn't tilting toward the fill plugs he should be OK. When I filled mine, I tilted the car away from the fill holes so that I could fit more fluid in them.

[DaN]

Tilting any way but level will change how much fluid goes in.
You don't want to be overfull, or underfull.

[nickmp0wer]

i dont think it would make a difference if there was a little to much fuid in there.

A while ago i saw a site that had the redline d4 atf the mtl and the diff fluid thats recomened for our cars avalible to buy in one place, would any one happen to know it?