transmission fluid

Help - I have a 98 528i and tried to check the transmission fluid level with no succuss. I took the car to my neighbors and he put it on his rack and raised the car. Every time the car was raised it stalled out. should this happen? If you can not raise the car without it stalling how do you check the fluid level.

Are you sure you should have the engine running when checking the trans fluid? And are you raising the car up evenly front to rear?
Would it be possible to raise the car up first and THEN start it up while already in the air? Just a thought...