Its a nice size puddle now under my car. The tranny shifter cable was removed because it was faulty. I couldn't get the car to park or find reverse and it would easily move from d to N with the brush of an elbow. I noticed that oil was coming from the linkage so I tried to tighten the bolt against the tranny oil pan but it would just keep turning, so it's either supposed to do that or I stripped it. Either way, what's my next step? If I remove the pan, can I get to the inside of that part and remove and relace/repair?

 

Yes you can replace the linkage rod by removing the pan its pretty straight forward when you can see it, While your doing that you need to replace the little knock in seal in the case which is the source of your leak .
If when you go to do t you have any question don't hesitate to call , IM, PM etc. And I will walk you through it .

 

Thanks alot! Did I strip that bolt, or does that just keep spinning like that? I guess I won't know for sure until I get in there. I bought the seal, like the size of a dime with blue on it?, about a year ago. It's still in the plastic pouch. I thought I needed a special tool to remove?

 

If it spining you stripped it , Once its out you can easily remove the seal with a screw driver and install the new one with a socket ,

 

Am I F'ed if it's stripped? Also, I can move the lever with my hand is that normal or should it only be able to move with the shifter cable?

 

You should be able to move with hand and shifter linkage unhooked, And no your not screwed, You can either rethread it to a smaller size or get a rod at a trans shops to replace it ,