Frustrating powervalve problem 2018 ec300

[Cox76y]

Ive just pulled the cover off the right hand side powervalve and removed the lever arm and pulled it off the powervalve. I then removed the small metal plate that connects the arm to the powervalve shaft so i could view the bearing.
Now I am in the process of putting it back together and I am having problems. I can see that this metal plate should spin and make contact with the small screw beside the bearing but it is not going far enough in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to make contact with it. It is as though the shaft has moved somehow and it just doesnt want to spin far enough for me to slip the plate back on.
Very hard for me to explain it but I hope someone knows what I am talking about. Also, the actuating rod seems to be stuck in the up position and needs a considerable amount of force to move down.. Is this normal.
thanks

JC