Starter rubbing on flexplate

[woodc]

I just dropped a new engine in a 97 Pathfinder and something is awry.

The very end of the starter (the part that sticks out past the teeth) is rubbing on the flexplate when the starter is tightened all the way up. If I loosen the bolts a bit it does not rub at all. It also rubs much worse on one portion of the flexplate than the rest...like it is not perfectly straight With the bolts loosened the starter does work and meshes with the flexplate and turns the engine over although I am unsure the noise it makes is normal (kinda grindy sounding)

It is almost like the starter is not going in perfectly straight...like it is at an angle (gear side too far towards the centerline of the transmission/engine)

Any ideas...I am at a loss...

History:

I bought a 97 Pathfinder with a siezed engine. The old engine was removed (with the torque converter still installed due to not being able to turn the engine over) and a replacement engine (also from a 97 Pathfinder) was purchased/installed.

Notes:

The plate that goes between the engine and transmission is installed as is the short half/plate thingy that goes on the bottom half covering up the portion of the bell housing that is not covered by the engine. This lower plate also goes up around the starter hole which seems odd (two layers of "plates".

The flexplate installed now is the one from the replacement engine...not the original.

Things I have tried:

Removing/reinstalling the starter umpteen times.

Cursing and yelling at it

Loosening the bolts holding the engine/transmission together then trying to move the plate between the two around to see if it needs reseating.

Loosening the bolts holding the torque converter to the flex plate, rotating the engine a few times, tightening them back down (bolt 1, 3, 2, 4).

In case it helps here is a picture of the old engine removed:

http://www.hardknockracing.com...1.jpg

and the new engine before it went in

http://www.hardknockracing.com...2.jpg

[woodc]

I finally figured this out... There is a beefy bracket thingy that goes between the starter and the bell housing. It bolts to the block to add stiffness. It is thick enough to space the starter out enough so it does not rub.