I just bought a new stater after my old one gave up and put it in over the weenend however, when the key is turned to start the car the gear in the starter seems to litterally hit the flex plate rather than line up with it's teeth - thus car isn't starting. I can manually move the torque converter like a tiny bit and it'll start but after I turn it off and try again - same issue. I've tried shiming the starter without any improvment. All the teeth on the flexplate are there without any abnormal wear. It's the stock 153 tooth flex plate and the starter is the correct 11 tooth reduction starter. Could the flex plate be warpped or unballanced? Maybe the torque converter is out of whack? - any idea as to why it won't line up right?

 

Have you tried taking the starter out and re-installing it? If so..I would return the starter and get another.

 

Took it out and put it back in 3 or 4 times. Putting differant shims under the two bolts in every confirguration I can think of with no better reliablity than before. I don't think the starter is bad because it engages EVERY time i turn the key - it's doing what it's suposed to do - it's just not lineing up with the flex plate right, do I really need a new starter?

 

I would give a new starter a try. There is no reason for the issues you are having if all you did was a starter replacement without changing the configuration of the existing flexplate...etc. It is possible that the new starter has a solenoid issue that is preventing the plunger from full travel.

 

Thought of that too - but it's unlikly, I jumped the terminals to see what it was doing when it was compleatly out of the car to see.

FYI The transmission has been replaced once before too - it's an after market torque converter - but the flex plate is stock - just transfered over from the old tranny. But this was over 2 years ago and haven't had any issues till now.

 

I would say to take the starter back in exchange for a new one. It should not cost you any money and is surely worth a try.