Quote: From your desceiption it seems to me that your cover is not aligned properly.The clearance between the 1/2 and reverse is too close causing a binding. Before you take it to a shop try this. Loosen the cover bolts and put the trans in reverse--this will set the clearance --with the trans in reverse retighten the cover bolts .
This sounds like what it is...
There is a step that is easy overlooked in the manual that you install one bolt in the cover; shift it into reverse and adjust the cover until a slight drag is felt in the revers lever...
I agree with the others, take the rods off and shift each rod one by one and make sure they engage w/o the shifter
