>  I've poked
>through the Bentley's manual and can't find any mention of an ATF filter
>. . . Male Pattern Blindness? Or was the suggestion inaccurate?

Nah, it's there. I changed mine just yesterday. It's a flat round screen
thingy INSIDE the transmission. You have to pull the bottom pan off the
tranny to get to it. It usually comes in the same package with the big
rubber transmission pan gasket.

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"