4 speed 'pops' out of gear

Try it first.
A linkage adjustment should do the trick.
If it doesn’t then you do have bigger problems.

Can be a few things:

First, is it very easy to catch any gear, no "snick" or effort to get any gear? or is there a definite effort to get any gear? Hurst or Ford Shifter?

1 - Linkage adjustment, where it's just barely engaging, and can pull out easy. Check the throw on the 1-2 and 3-4 forks/rods, and see if it is adjusted too far one way or another.

2 - If you have a stiff shifter boot, it could pull the shifter back to nuetral when off the throttle.

3 - It just could be a sign that the trans is a tad loose

4 - your shifter is worn out, and too loose to hold any position. Try shimming or adding thin spring washers on the shifter forks or trans lever forks, so it's harder to push the shifter into gear.


In my experience, the synchros on 2nd always die first, and 3rd gear get used the most, and is usually a bit harder to set the linkage just right.

I used to have the same issue. I did two things at once, so I'm not sure which one really fixed the problem. I rebuilt the tranny and made my own leather boot, instead of that stiff rubber one.

I had the same problem in my old Chevy I bought a few years ago. It would pop out of high gear whenever I let off the throttle. In my case, the outputshaft bearing was shot. I replaced it with a new one and it fixed the problem.

if a linkage adjustment wont cure the problem, and using a softer shift boot wont cure the problem, then it is internal, usually synchros, or bearings. either way it will need freshening up.