black2000xj

my 78 cj5 with the 258 6 cylinder is giving me a few issues...maybe you guys and girls can help me out

1 - my 3 speed manual trans likes to pop out of 2nd gear when i hit a bump or something similar when going down the road. From what i read its the bushings?

I heard its not a bad fix, but maybe someone else will know more in depth

2- My weber carb is acting up/jeep wont run. Its a weber 15048 with electric choke. It would start up all weekend, and run good, but the more we drove it, the more it ran rich. There was black soot coming from the exhaust and the plugs are all black. I read that the carb should be really good from the box, so now im wondering if its the fuel pressure regulator?

My fuel lines come from the pump, go over the motor to a fuel filter that has 1 tube going into it, and 2 going out (like a bypass for extra fuel, it goes back to the gas tank)

the other line then goes into this brass regulator, from there it goes to the carb.

I have a feeling since the jeep ran fine all weeked, and then yesterday it started to load up on me...that either the carb got messed up, a vacuum line got cracked or its the fuel pressure regulator.

any ideas?