Still no luck. I totally redid my mod with a new 2N3904 NPN transistor (from RadioShack), new resistor, new wire etc. I didn't use heat shrink tubing as I thought perhaps my heat gun fried the last transistor. I insulated everything heavily, including the metal tray that sits next to the bottom of the pcb/the mod when the Wii is closed. I checked everything with my DMM before I closed it up too.
Here are two pics of the current non-working mod:


Is there a difference between a "2N3904" and a "2n3904" transistor from RadioShack? I could only find the "N", not the "n" as stated in the directions, but I assumed they were the same.
I have the transistor placed with the flat side against the pcb, so I believe I'm reading it correctly with the collector on the left and the emitter on the right.
I'm about out of ideas here.