Starter problems...any ideas?

[Chevelle454]

Hi guys,

It's been awhile since I've been on here (a couple years), but I decided to finish the truck I started years ago. I'm working with a 1972 Chev C20 350/TH350. I'm having some difficulties with the starter, though...

The gears on the starter and flexplate don't seem to be locking together as tightly as they should, at least as far as I can tell. When I turn the key to start the truck, the starter whines loudly and sometimes skips teeth and grinds. I look at the flexplate teeth and it looks like the starter gear only extends half-way into them. When I look at the gears mesh together they also have quite a gap, more than the instructions with the starter says it should have.

I have replaced the original starter, and then replaced it again with the one I have now. This is also the second flexplate. The first one got chewed up so bad I had to replace it. There are no shims in the starter, and I have tried different shim combinations to see if anything would make it better but no luck.

Do I possibly have to remove some material from the starter to make it mate up to the engine block better? Maybe a different starter? Please help if you have any ideas...

Thanks
Scott