Update to this car: all is fixed, finally.

In case any one else has similar issues, I'll elaborate. Replacing the hard plastic ring (might have been an O ring at some point in its life) on the vacuum modulator on the drivers side of the trans fixed the slow leak of fluid. It was possible to pull that out and fix w/o dropping the trans.

The neutral safety switch issues that kept car from starting were due to the actual plastic piece of the NSS that clicks into the shift linkage on the trans. I took the NSS off to check it, drilled out the rivets and all, tested perfect. When I went to put it back on, I could see that the arm of the NSS would not fit into the shift lever. So, pulled the linkage off and flipped the arm around. Fit perfect. That also fixed the sloppy shifting (into D or R). It looks like the PO that had the trans serviced put that part back on wrong. LOL.

So, leaking oil cooler line - Fixed
NSS issues - Fixed
Leaking trans - Fixed
Missing front right lower control arm bushing - Fixed

Yahoo!