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911 912 Shift Rod Removal
Shift rod woes
Shift rod removal
Seems to be two camps...one says drop the motor the other says no. Based on all the other issues you're having, I'm guessing you'll have to drop the motor eventually anyway. Drive the car as-is until you get to the part where you have to drop the motor and repair the shift rod then (along with all the other "while I was at it" repairs).