You need to assess your situation from outside of the box you're stuck in. First, yes. Try the valve body. But if you need to pull the trans again, change what needs to be changed to get the trans out on its own. You have the skill, the equipment and the time to do it.
You can't tell me that after all you've been through, that it would not be worth some extra time to make things easier on yourself.
Sorry for the tough love, but damn...