I've been working on TPI swap into a Caprice wagom, using a 400block. I can't seem to get the starter turned over without a lot of grinding.

I see various tolerance methods pinion tooth to valley, sidewall play between teeth and the method I used, flywheel to pinion shaft. That method calls for 1/8 between shaft of pinion and gears on flywheel

After removing inspection cover, I observe face of pinion being chewed up at tiop of teeth. Flywheel shows shallow engagement,and Tolerance proves greater than 1/8. So all that semms to match up that the starter is out too far, the teeth barely engaging an needs to be brought closer.

There were no shins on it. I used a 1/64, then a 1/64, then both together for 3/32 , these were HALF shims on the outer bolt to wedge the starter closer. It still grinds.

I do not have a starter brace on this yet. It is likely that without the brace that it's twisting itself that much out of shape to never engage more than second wothout grinding? I would think the more I shim it, the more likely it would twist! I've tried both in (full shim) and out (half shim) without any apparent improvement. Grind smash grind smash!


I can't get to solving my 3 years of frustration with a "crank , but no start" situation because I can't crank it without grinding things up.