Starter Shims/Noisy Start

[Nca2013]

I have a 97 K1500 ECSB with the 5.7 and 4L60E. This past June, the trans went out with 220,000 on it so I had it rebuilt. While it was out I did a rear main and bought a new flexplate. I replaced the starter a month later because the old one was packed full of mud and dirt. I did not use the shims provided because the truck had none and after 500 miles the end of the starter that covers the gear broke clean off. I replaced it with the same starter and ever since replacing the first starter the truck is making a very bad grinding/ noisy start. The starter gear is fine,but it is tearing up my flexplate. I added 1 shim and it helped a little and after adding a 2nd it seems to be worse. anybody else had any problems like this? and I know I bought the right flexplate, 168 teeth if i remember correctly. It was exactly the same as the one that came out the truck. Both starter and flexplate are from NAPA

 

[Nca2013]

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[twomanymontes]

The reason there are shims with the remanufactured starters is that they machine the mounting plates level. How thick were the shims you installed? Were they 2 different thicknesses? Maybe try just the thicker one and see how it is. I have had ones that I messed with for hours before I found the right combination.

Good Luck