need help with flexplate issue

[grydergeyer26]

i am having a issue i am running pretty much a stock 400 that external balance but i am running 153 teeth with a balance plate but it moves it away from the starter so doesnt engage the flexplate
a 168 tooth doesnt fit n any of my bell housing so what do i do

[Confused?]

Different starter. If it's an aftermarket one, move it in. If it's a stock one, replace it with a starter with a straight bolt pattern not the staggered one like a corvette starter.

[grydergeyer26]

its only clipping the edge of the flexplate not the full thing

[Confused?]

The front edge or the outside edge of the teeth?

[Lizardracing]

Flex plate on backwards or balance plate on wrong side of flex plate

[grydergeyer26]

outside it doesnt go out far enough to engage it
ithe starter is after market straight style
balance is on the back of the crank then the flexplate always the way i thought it worked but i could be wrong

[Lizardracing]

All the starters like those I have seen are based on stock dimensions. If the balance plate is on first it may move the flex plate to far toward the transmission to work properly. If the flex plate is on backwards, the problem will be even worse. I don't know if those balance plates have to go on first. My guess it's not, but I've never used one either. The instructions for those starter give a clearance dimension between the bendex and flywheel. That number will give you a reference point to figure out how far the flex plate is away from working Ok.