I'm the New Guy!
 

Hey all!

Excited to be here and learn from you guys! I had a quick question for anyone willing to help me out, or to even point me in the right direction! I have a 1988 GMC 2500. It's got the 350 motor, and 350 5-speed tranny with four-wheel drive. Single cab, long bed. My question is about the transmission. For what I know, it's original. It's had the pressure plate and clutch plates w/clutch replaced. It hasn't given me any issues since I was 16, which I am now 21. Until today.. I was driving to lunch starting in first, shift second and start cruising in thrird. While 3 gear being engaged for about a minute at about 30mph, I just heard a faint popping sound. Nothing catistrophic, yet vaguely noticeable. I shifted out of third intro neutral and came to a stop. I went to go again, starting in first (so I thought) and killed the truck. Start back up, try again. Killed it. Turns out I was starting in third gear! I lost my entire range except 3, 4 gears. Got the truck home, started tearing into it. Doing some research it seems to have something to do with the shift shaft. (I think). It's definitely a linkage problem.. After I pulled out the stick, the receiver that holds the stick, has a chewed up rubber grommet in it.. And slides somewhat freely in the shaft. So, I looked closely, and saw that there is a hole in the bottom of the receiver that seems to hold the receiver in place on the shaft! It's empty. No pin. BUT, I don't know what that part is called.. I feel like this fix is super simple, but I haven't had any luck looking around the web for info on it. Has anyone else had this experience? Or replaced this part? It seems to be called a shift shaft pin? Or shift shaft rolled pin?

Thank you so much in advance!!!