3rd gear woes!

[Alan Page <alanpage@connix.com>]

Hello,

I have an issue with my 1990 80q that started years ago when I
apparently trashed the synchro(s) that help me shift into third gear. I
noticed a distinct crunch when downshifting, but being careful not to
abuse the transmission (braking more) or double clutching seemed to
handle the problem.

My issue is that as of about a week ago, the problem is much worse. The
transmission will not stay in third gear (except when accelerating).
When at a constant speed or decelerating in third, the gear shift pops
out forcefully. I tried to hold it in gear and find that I cannot do it.

My question is whether this sounds like a linkage problem (something I
might explore) or a real transmission problem (something that I would
not delve into myself)

Thanks in advance,
Alan Page
alanpage@connix.com