73 Satellite starter not engaging correctly

[Kodi]

73 Satellite 318. The starter activates and spins but does not catch the converter/flywheel on torqueflite.

The gear looks to be bouncing around back and forth hitting the converter but not catching onto it. It has a new starter/solenoid combo and new relay on a fully charged battery.

I know the gearing is correct because if I push the starter gear out and line up the converter they do align correctly but the starter just wont catch it on its own.

 

[mmissile]

Sounds like a bad starter to me.

 

[bm02tj]

The dogs in the drive are stuck or warn out

 

[Kodi]

The starter and the relay are new

 

[rrTor-Red]

The starter and the relay are new

Seen a "new" starter take a dump on the first initial start. A Chinese made part couldn't withstand the torque and chewed/sheared some of the starter gear right off. Might have to remove, look at it, and maybe even test it. Especially if it's "The gear looks to be bouncing around back and forth hitting the converter but not catching onto it".

Other things to look at too but start there and post findings

 

[WileE]

Is it an original starter, or a mini-starter ? And yes, appears to be a junk part out of the box.

 

[YY1]

could be the "bendix"

can get and replace cheap, but not super easy as you have to hold the brushes and slide the rotor in and out to replace.

was my first repair job on my first Mopar in 1985

 

[Bruzilla]

Are the teeth on the converter intact? I had this problem on a 440. Turned out the starter ripped about five teeth of the converter gear.