I just replaced the bushings in my shifter linkage. Now I don't grind downshifting from 3-2 anymore and the shifting is much less sloppy. A new problem has cropped up now though. The shifting now feels a bit soft, no doubt due to the plastic cup bushing eliminating the metal to metal contact between the linkage rod and transmission. The real trouble though is that it now occasionally pops out of second gear. I also recently replaced the clutch but it didn't start with this trouble until I did the bushings. Has anyone ever experienced this before?

Check the shifter adjustment first. Could be a forward backward issue.

If not, 2nd gear slider may have mushrooming.

http://home.san.rr.com/pb914/side-adj.htm