WKD_DRGN

I have researched quite a bit before posting this and I am pretty stumped on some stuff. Bought this 2000 Civic EX back from the young guy I sold it to. It was pretty filthy inside and the moon roof tube had disconnected at kick panel and had soaked the driver footwells (front and back I am guessing at some point) reconnected the tube to drain. Stripped the center console down to just the shifter and cleaned all around the shifting mechanism best as we could but we didn't disconnect the solenoid. Again, it was sticky/gummy probably from many a soda being spilled. We have brake lights, with pedal being depressed. Fuses seem good. Horn works. Cruise control wasn't lighting up on dash nor working at first, just the button you press on side would light up. Shifter gets stuck in park and sometimes it doesn't. You can see and hear the shifter solenoid clicking like it "wants" to open but doesn't fully release the way it needs to. Using the key/flathead in the slot does release the shifter. Sometimes it shifts out of park okay! We replaced the brake light switch though I am not positive if it's got the right clearance. I just kinda winged it. "Soemone" before put a damn body clip where the brake pedal stop should be. I replaced it with the correct brake pedal stop. I have found the detailed instructions on testing everything up here for the 92 or 93 but I am not fully sure on using a multimeter. It said to test certain wires on the solenoid but does that mean unplugging the plug and testing by touching terminals in the plug or does it have to be connected to the solenoid still? I have seen my dad use the leads and press in the terminals from behind the plug. I was just a little confused on one part that said touch black lead to a wire and then reading for continuity or whatever. Doesn't the red lead also have to touch somewhere to "complete the circuit"? Any other things I should test according to what works and doesn't work? Thanks in advance.