starter shimming

[77 cc lb]

i need some help w/ my starter. i go to start up my '74 292-6 and i get this grinding noise. once it locked up on me with strarter gear still in flywheel after being shutoff. do i shim it on inside or outside to get it to mesh. also does the starter automatically mesh to the flywheel when starting? thanks for any advice. getting antsy to get this beast back on the road. thanks again

[VileZambonie]

Check the starter itself, you may just need to replace it.

[77 cc lb]

it's a new starter. could it be my flywheel is not centeredon torque converter? i'm going to try that. thanks

[beastie_3]

Have you checked the gap between the starter gear and the flywheel?

[77 cc lb]

is that the gap between the gear and flywheel  when on, or the gap between flywheel and the arm? i measured the gap between the arm and f/w and is more than 1/8in. w/o shims. i put 3 half shims on the outside and it's almost there. is the max. 4 shims? starting to think i might have wrong starter. thanks for the help.

[beastie_3]

Its the gap when the starter is engaged. I forgot what it should be, but I think people use a paperclip or something to determine it. Cant remember.

[Captkaos]

Paperclip.

[77 cc lb]

i figured out my problem. i had the wrong starter. oreilly's gave me the right part, wrong application. napa did some research and said it could be the smaller nose starter from a same year 305. put it in and strarted right up no problems. now i just need to get her timed right and should be back on road this w/e. thanks again for everyones help, i'm sure i'll be back w/ something else soon enough.