Starter gear

[rcazwillis]

Newer style, smaller starter. After the truck starts, it sounds like the flex plate taps something a couple of times. Then quiets down at idle. Revving does not change anything. When accelerating, it makes a similar sound, but less aggressive. It looks like the starter gear does not retract all the way into the starter housing. When I push on it, the gear goes back far enough so the leading edge is inside the nose come. When I release pressure, it drifts back out a bit. Shouldn't this stay inside the nose come?

Shiming it does not change anything. Right now,I have more than 1/8" between ring gear starter shaft. Probably too much.