ATF Questions: Coloring, Dipstick Level, Lift

2003 Prerunner Xcab V6

Getting ready to do a drain and fill on the truck. Bought 4 quarts type T-IV from dealership. Couple questions I've tried to find answer for.

1) Coloring. Take a look at attached pic. Left is new, right my current fluid, am I OK?

2) Dipstick level. When cold, truck hasn't been started in hours or overnight, fluid level on dipstick is well past HOT level, fairly high on stick. After 15 run, in park and/or neutral, idling nice, level is just above COLD. This all seem normal? What is proper way to check level? High level when cold didn't seem right...

3) When draining, do I need to lift the front end at all to get more fluid out?

Appreciate your help as always.

 

When you drain the pan you only take out about 4 quarters maybe 5? There is still 6 or more quarts left in the lines and throughout the cooler and tranny. Your fluid looks fine. Did it smell burnt?

And to properly check fluid level the truck needs to be running, run it for 10+ minutes and run it through all the gears.

 

Red Fluid looks OK to me, whats that brown fluid if that atf I would do a flush, I think adding clean fluid to old is a waste of money, that being said just check the fluid hot, drain it into a container measure what was drained out and put in exactly what was drained.