I've changed filters on many different automatic transmissions including Ford C4, FMX, C5, C6, ATX; GM TH 350, 125, 440; JATCO, Isuzu, etc. They all had one thing in common - there was plenty of muck in the pan and on the filters.
Maybe its a comfort factor, but I strongly believe in being able to (easily) change the filters. With all the wear particles generated by an auto trans from the friction surfaces, bearings, etc., its inevitable that the filters will pick up the particles to the point of restricting flow or eventually clogging. A car is not a stationary device, so movement down the road is bound to stir-up a bunch of this stuff to circulate in the system.
The CD4E is not the most robust transmission in the world, so taking steps to preserve its life is not too much to ask for!
