Toploader pops out of third and fourth

[steve meltzer]

My 4-speed toploader also pops of out gear as described by the OP, but now I can't even get it into 3rd or 4th. (Reverse and 1/2 are OK). The linkage is perfectly aligned/indexed. When I removed the bolt (see picture). The bolt takes a 9/16 wrench, but its diameter is 3/8, I think. At any rate, i removed this bolt, but there was no spring and now I'm not sure if I just need to adjust it, or, the spring is ??? Any thoughts here? Maybe the gearbox is really toast, but if I can fix the car without foolin' with a rebuilding of the toploader, that would be a good thing! The car only has about 2K miles on this Southern-built box. No hard miles, no track. thanx steve