Problem with Starter Bendix Engagement

[Homerandabe69]

This car has a fresh built LT1 (about 1500 miles) and almost all of the parts are new. For the last 500 or so miles, I have been having trouble getting the car started. After turning the key anywhere from 5-10 times it will usually engage the flywheel and start.

When turning to key to ignition, the starter solenoid will click but wont engage the ring gear on the flywheel. I figured this was just my original starter going bad so i purchased a new Powermaster high torque starter and installed it. When bench testing the engagement with the engine out, I am seeing that this starter is also not engaging the flywheel. Basically what is happening is the teeth on the starter are getting stuck against the teeth of the flywheel rather than meshing with them.

I have tested both starters with a multitude of different shims from 1/32 all the way to 1/4 of an inch and it still has this problem. I dont understand how this could be possible when the car didn't have this problem whatsoever for the first 1000 miles. The only culprit I could imagine is the flywheel, but there is no adjustment available on it so I am stumped.

I need to get my car starting reliably within the next week as I am shipping the car 2500 miles and I have no idea what to do now.

So far I have tried greasing the starter gear, lightly filing the sharp edges on the angled parts of the starter gear, and shimming the starter.

I am also testing the engagement using a car battery with a battery charger attached to it.

Does anyone have any idea what my problem could be?

FYI the starter is a Powermaster 9502 and the flywheel is a Fidanza Aluminum 153 tooth

[Camaro96]

I know it's a new flywheel but have you turn the flywheel bye the inspection cover and see if there are broken or damaged teeth on the flywheel?

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[Injuneer]

With any combination of shims, are you able to achieve the recommended clearance of 0.020" - 0.035" between the tip of the ring gear tooth and the valley of the starter gear teeth? Good idea to check at multiple points around the ring gear.

[Homerandabe69]

I know it's a new flywheel but have you turn the flywheel bye the inspection cover and see if there are broken or damaged teeth on the flywheel?

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I have the entire engine out and transmission removed. The flywheel looks brand new.

With any combination of shims, are you able to achieve the recommended clearance of 0.020" - 0.035" between the tip of the ring gear tooth and the valley of the starter gear teeth? Good idea to check at multiple points around the ring gear.

With no shims I have the recommended .020"+ clearance. It only gets bigger with more shims. This is after checking around the entire ring gear.

[Homerandabe69]

I decided to just shim the original starter and hope for the best. I got it to engage slightly more often than it would before i pulled the motor. I might try a stock flywheel after my car is shipped and see if that changes things. That will allow me to rule out my aftermarket flywheel.

[Low N Slow]

I just had the same type of issue with Powermaster starters, I tried 2 with the same results, ended up going to Autozone and getting one of their cheap rebuilts. The Autozone starter sounds like it has rocks in it but it works every time.