Mitsu waste gate actuator retainer pin

So, on the 2.5 T1 engine from an '89 LeBaron convertible that was swapped into my Rampage, the pin that keeps the actuator arm end from coming off the wastegate swing-arm is missing- and after fighting with it for several hours (half of that with the front mount pulled and the engine rolled forward as far as possible before the downpipe hitting the floor stops it) I've completely failed in getting a new pin it. With some creative phone photography I can at least see where the I should go- but I can in no way maneuver my fingers into position to even feel where the pin should go or get it to go in. Right now I've essentially safety-wired the two together, but have no idea how well that will hold up (the two stay together from friction alone -reasonably- well, but a hard shift on the part of the transmission will rattle them apart from all too much experience).


Am I missing something obvious and easy in how to do this? Or am I correct in assuming that the engineer who designed this setup clearly hated mechanics with the fire of a thousand suns and wanted to make sure you had to essentially pull the engine (or the head/manifold/turbo setup) to replace the pin?

Thanks!

good luck. if it was anything but an L body i would say you can get to it from underneath.
If you unbolt front and rear motor mounts. and loosen the side mounts.
you can rotate the engine very far forward. remove the hood. and dangle a small armed 9 year old over the engine bay.
and have them get there arm/hand back there. or other extremly skinny person.
it will help get some access from removing the PS pump and going in from that side.
either way. extrodinary PITA.

I'm very large and I can do them pretty easily from the top side. I get my arm behind the intake with the PS pump tilted forward with ease. I sometimes use a pair of needle nose pliers to slip it on. I should point out that I use a tiny and thin SS hitch pin vs. the standard E clip. Note that I'm of the belief that it's significantly harder to do with a one piece. I can actually do it with a tow piece intake on an L body way easier than I can a one piece in a lancer, daytona, etc.

Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge mike has a 1-piece intake (Engine is out of a LeBaron convertible). :/

Will try it with moving the PS pump out of the way though- thanks!