I swaped a 305tbi for a 350. I didn't have a starter to begin with so I bought one for a 350 now the starter kicks in but only sometimes catches anything. I got under and it looks like it will barely catch the flexplate when it kicks in. do I need to get a starter for a 305? if you would like a pic I can get one to show u

 

You need to use a starter that matches the application of the flexplate. A 3rd gen f-body 305 starter is the same as a 3rd gen f-body 350 starter. If the starter you got didn't work, you either got the starter for the wrong application, or you got a bad starter.

 

Is the starter gear not traveling back far enough or is there just too much of a gap between the teeth of the starter gear and the flexplate?

 

i don't know how to post pics
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it seemed like it wasn't traveling far enogh. can low voltage cause this?

 

ok i swapped batteries from one car to the other and now it seems to be catching. now I have no spark. I think it is my coil. I have power to the coil but no park coming out. if its not one thing it's another

 

I'm not sure if you have completely solved your starter problem or not, but you may have to shim the starter. Its possible that the gears were binding, preventing the starter gear from sliding all the way into the flexplate gears.

New starters sometimes come with the shims, so if you got a new one, maybe they are in the box. Adding a shim would push the starter down towards the road by a small amount, which would give the gear more room to slide in and out of the flexplate.

If your problem was fixed by the new battery, then nevermind