parking rod help

I cant seem to get the parking rod correct. when i install the valve body the parking rod is preventing the gear selector from moving either direction. I've tried to pull out parking rod by pulling on it and moving drive shaft back and forth with NO luck. looking at a pic of how rod should be sitting in tranny it looks like it might be stuck too low and to the left. this is all from putting a shift improver in it is why it was apart.

its a 727a trans