Steeda shifter tight... HELP!!!

So here's the deal, I got a Steeda shifter a while ago... when its bolted all the way down its impossible to shift, the only way to make it possible to shift is to have it bolted down loosely.

Obviously this is a problem but I pushed it to the side with my busy college life, now the transmission makes a light noise when I'm in neutral (like a grinding or better explained sounds like something loose is running around in the trans), I don't believe it happens when I'm in gear. I think this is because of low transmission fluid from the shifter not being all the way on.

So my questions are
1)whats wrong with my shifter? do i need to tighten all the bolts to a cretin amount? is it just messed up... I got it on e-bay but shifts fine when not bolted all the way down

2)whats wrong with the tranny? I'm hoping its just low fluid and hope someone will confirm that.

THANKS GUYS

-------02 gt, 5spd

Yeah, when the shifter is bolted all the way down it wont move, the more you loosen it the easier it will allow you to move the stick, thus getting it in gear.... It's almost like there's a spring that tightens up the shifter handle the closer the tri-axe is to the transmission.

i moved over the plastic bushing that connects to the shifter, all that is fine... a very simple procedure.... like i said i got the shifter off e-bay but the bolts match up percectly, and it fits in place of the stock, just when i bolt it down its almost impossible to shift like said... it takes ALOT of force to move the stick in any gear when its bolted all the way down..... again any help would be much appreciated, i didnt try pulling the clutch pedal up yet... do you think this might help?

again i hate to drive it under this condition but seeing as its my daily driver i need to get from a to b

again thanks for the help... i was thinking of taking it to ford but they said its going to be like 175 to install the shifter.... doesn't that involve only tightening 4 bolts....