2000 KX250 Shift return spring?

On my 2000 KX 250 there is this little spring behind the clutch case cover/behind the big gear on the top left, its like a shift fork return spring or something...its tiny, it got ripped off somehow, replaced it, ripped off again, got another one, put it on and I noticed the gear is in contact with it....anyone know wtf? I'm thinking either the gear isn't out far enough or the thing the spring is riding on it out too far (obviously) anyone had a similar problem? If you look at the bottom of the gear on the left and look close you can see the spring, the gear also seems to be making some contact with the thing in front of the spring at the very bottom of the gear...(shifting fork?) I am soooooo not a mechanic....smh)