manual transmission

'96 GST
Ok, my shifter was moving a lot in 5th gear at highway speeds when I would get on and off the accelerator. It had also started to pop out of 5th occasionally. So, as per this corrective procedure I found on this website, http://www.vfaq.com/index-main.html , I opened up the transmission, and found the input shaft nut to be only finger tight. I fixed that, but the problem now is that when I took the cover off, a large diameter thin ring came off (with one break in it... I'm not sure if that is supposed to be there or not), and I'm not sure how it goes back in. It also has some cutout place on it, but that does not correspond to any complementary fitting over which to slide it for a nice fit. Where the two ends would meet, there is a slight offset, as if this were a spring with very small amount of expansion force.

Does anybody have an exploded diagram of this transmission from a shop manual maybe, or know how to advise me on this?

Also, I didn't lose a whole lot of fluid when taking off this cover. Does that mean that the transmission was that low, or is there just not a lot of fluid in that area?

Thanks.

Did you try looking in a Haynes manual?

That is the wave spring you are describing if I'm not mistaken. It puts a little pressure on the 5th gear synchro. It should be a continuous circle, if not its busted (not hard to believe). Also, you should have got about 2 quarts when you drained the tranny, or pulled the cover, whichever you did first. If you drained it first you might get a cup or two out when you pull the cover.