My shifter has about an inch or 2 of side to side play, and makes it so I can not change gears. What is the problem and how do I fix?

if the bolt going up in the bottom of the shifter is loose the shifter will slide in and out, wont come off though unless the bolt comes completly out

It is the whole shaft that the shift arm is attached to that slides, and makes is so it wont shift. I have to slide it in and out to get it in right position to change gears.

Sounds like you need to open the transmission

Take your shifter/slash/sprocket cover off. Grab a roll of paper towels and follow the wiping down of the shifter shaft. Once you get the shaft clean to the engine case, find a C-clip and a flat washer butted up to the case and behind the shifter seal. Clean the seal and washer so any grit does not take up that little gap you have when the shifter does float with clip in place.

The C-clip is junk, so the easiest thing to do is buy a new one. Your call you can throw it in a vice and squeeze down so it has tension again - wink/comma/wink wink! The other is how you might need to head off to NAPA and buy a universal cir-clip tool or follow a snap-on truck to one of its stops.

So if you have the tool, you won't mung up the shaft grinding material off. Speaking about material, note how or what side that cir-clip is facing? To install a C, cir-clips, find the cut end or the sharp side. See how your shaft moves in and you have to pull it back to shift it? You want that cut edge facing you so it bites into the thrust side. See the thrust going into the case? See how if the cut side was biting that flat side of the groove in the shift shaft? See how you want to note if they installed the round side facing you? It would not round over the shifter's groove if the cut had the bite.

Again too, note even the washer? You now want the cut side facing the engine. Any washer should face down on a surface is on the flat side. One, it covers more surface. Two, the finish looks cleaner.

Thanks for the advice. The cir-clip is what I found to be bad. Going to get new clip today.