mini starter question

[slowdown]

So I finally got some time off from work and I plan on firing up my car this weekend, but. I got this little starter from autozone I think I got it for a 2000 Dakota 5.2 if I remember right. Well I put it on my car and it's a little hard to tell but it looks like the gear on the starter might be sticking out a little to far. Not much but just enough to make me wonder if I need to shim this away from the flywheel a little bit. Has anyone came across this.
I don't want the starter to bind after I start it as I am breaking in a new cam an hoping it all goes good. I was going to take the engine in an have it dyno'd and broken in but I couldn't get time off from work to get it done. Anyway the little starter is in a 4 speed car not an automatic. Small block.

 

[LocuMob]

I don't think it matters auto vs manual. The starter is shimmed by the dust shield.

 

[67Dart273]

............And...........the thickness of the dust shield should not make the difference between hitting or not I run a 727, didn't have a dust shield "for awhile" and ran without. No Mopar starter should need shimmed.

 

[TrailBeast]

What's "too far"?
If it isn't touching the ring gear it should be fine.

 

[BillGrissom]

Even if is truly is too close, it won't hurt to try it. Sometimes the throw-out fork doesn't return the pinion gear and the engine turns the starter as you drive. Makes the starter act as a generator. Owners usually hear a strange whine and figure it out.

 

[slowdown]

thanks for the input. I don't have a dust shield, and it looked like it was touching the flywheel, I reached up with a screwdriver to see if the gear would go back far enough not to touch but it wouldn't. So it would have definitely made some noise I think. I did have to shim it to get it off the flywheel. Thanks.