Use 220 wet and dry with lite oil lubricant and make figure eights on a sheet of glass. Will take a little time but you will have control over the removal process.
If you would take the time and read the full information that Richard produced to explain the ZDDP concept, you would not have either made the statements or made yourself look like a fool.
The ball is simply a vacuum storage container and has NO requirement for location due to gravity. You have a loss of vacum that is creating your problems. Investigate all the vacuum connections and lines.
The not being able to move in neutral points to shift linkage adjustment (the car was not really in neutral). This would also put your neutral safety switch in the wrong position.
You had not mentioned the turn signal switch replacement in your description. Are you confusing the stalk and the switch?? The turn signal switch assembly is the usual culprit in these situations.