Starter help!!!!

[Dtech]

hey guys. I am new to this forum and am currently trying to get my freshly rebuilt engine good and going. I have taken gobs of phots of this project and have tried to upload them but the website will not let me.

So here is my problem.

I rebuilt the motor and installed the trans and the starter onto the motor and THEN put it in to the truck.

The starter used is the same one that did the job fine before the old engine came out.

The fly wheel is the same fly wheel that came off the old engine.

No shims on original starter.

Put motor in, starter worked fine. For a bit. During preliminary adjustments. The starter when used began to grind horrifically, mixed in with clicking. Then after trying is a bunch it resorted to just clicking.

Pulled starter off and notice, starter grear jammed against flywheel.

Pulled it out, bought new one. But bought it for a 75 chevy C20 on the basis that I assumed all small block starters a pretty much the same.

Had to buy longer bolts.

Installed starter.

On first try it did the same (&*^%(&*%$&*(% thing. Got shims and began a shimmin. Went below and saw once again the starter gear jammed against the flywheel, not retracted. Every time I shimmed it (to get the starter gear closer to the block because when it got jammed it would be gear teeth on top of gear teeth), it would work fine for the first 2 tries and then restort to horiffic grinding. I shimmed it as much as 7/32 of an inch and still the starter is being a little &%. Every time I shim it closer it seems to be better but resorts to grinding in 2 tries. I am too frustrated to continue to night.

One other point. Some douchebag did a douchebag job on installing helicoils for the starter threads but the bolts "seem" to hold fine.

Please help. Maybe the fly wheel is bent cause it seems to have a bad spot. But the wheel looks to be in good condition, no missing or badly worn teeth.

Thanks