Starter not engaging (1992 laser)

Car: 1992 Plymouth Laser RS
Motor: 2.0L---4G63
Transmission: Automatic---FWD

Problem:
The car was running fine before hand, then all of a sudden the starter was making a grinding noise. My Mechanic took out the transmission and the Flex Plate was all chewed up so we replaced it and, then put the transmission back in. The problem was not fixed. So we tried a Starter from a 1993 with all the same information as stated above. This time the car didn't grind as much but when it started, the starter wouldn't disengage. Someone Please help me out here. I don't want to spend $750+ on a rebuild if it'll still have this same problem.

Did you make sure you re-shimmed the starter if there were some on it before? Either that or the starter that you replaced it with is bad.

Reshimming? Shit I'm glad I knew about that before putting the new starter on my car :uhoh:. It works fine though, so I dont care. Back to the point. Your starter not disengaging sounds like a ignition problem to me, the starter does what its told and if its not getting the signal to stop it wont. I'd check for a break in the lead between the starter and the ignition, maybe a problem in the ingnition (is it sticking), an unplugged sensor, or maybe the DSM engine by Gremlin gummed something up when he was whackin it to that Evo you parked near last week.

If the starter isn't engaging right (going too far in), you need to shim it back a little bit, I don't know many DSMs that have had to do it, but who knows. Also if the starter is worn out it will "stick" and not disengage. I have a big diagram at the shop of starter problems but I'm not home so I can't look at it. If I go home this weekend I'll dig it up if I remember.

we tried shimming the old one but it still didnt work. anything else?

Wow, I've never heard of shimming a starter. My starter started f'in up, and I just swapped it for a new one....no shims.

well i found a washer in the housing of the transmission. thought that was the problem.....Nope. So it still grinds. But im trying to say is that this is the orignal starter but a different tranny. Starter is from a 92 and we dont know what year the tranny is from. But it did worked from when we put it in to about the beginning of september. That is when it started making the noise. It was then brought back into the shop to be looked at but he couldnt figure anything wrong. But the car still starts but grinds. It has been off the road since Sept. 2nd. I just dont want to cause anymore damage to the car then what is already done now. (how can you tell what year the tranny is from?)

Shimming it didnt work----Orignal Starter and New Tranny
Shimming it didnt work----New Starter and New Tranny
Starter not disengauging--New Starter and New Tranny
Starter Disengauges------Old Starter and New Tranny
Runs and sounds better---Old Starter and New Tranny

Any other suggestions??
(NOTE: we returned the NEW starter back to Auto Zone Because My mechanic was using it to try to find out the problem, only have the old starter.)

Reshimming? Shit I'm glad I knew about that before putting the new starter on my car :uhoh:. It works fine though, so I dont care. Back to the point. Your starter not disengaging sounds like a ignition problem to me, the starter does what its told and if its not getting the signal to stop it wont. I'd check for a break in the lead between the starter and the ignition, maybe a problem in the ingnition (is it sticking), an unplugged sensor, or maybe the DSM engine by Gremlin gummed something up when he was whackin it to that Evo you parked near last week.

What should i be looking to do if you think this?

My guess is that it has something to do with the new tranny that you put in.

My guess is that it has something to do with the new tranny that you put in.

well my old one we put in wasnt going into gear. they said it was something electronic inside of it. Is it possible to throw it on a scanner and find the problem???

Nope, that won't help.

like my only other choices are to:
1)Rebuild the tranny
2)Buy another DSM thats 5spd, AWD, and turbo. (problem is i cant find one with all those options, most have only 5spd turbos. not AWD)

Just like the saying "people always look for a car thats fast, cheap, and reliable. The problem is you can only choose two."

well the car now starts but still grinds... but there is no tranny fluid and very little oil in the car. so both well be filled to see if there is any difference.