I have tried for about 2.5 hours to get this thing to go in, and when I do feel like it slips in, I can only get it to within 1/8 of it seating, and can't push it in any further and the bolts are obviously too short to catch.

Seemed like a pretty straight forward job, but I cannot get it in, I'm at my wits end.

The manual says once you have it out, don't shift gears, it is in park now.

Any suggestions?