HELP Mopar 230 Turns by hand but not with starter

OK, my new 230 is in went to spin it to get the oil pressure up before starting.

It bumped over, then just clicked.

Pulled the starter and it spins when power is put to it. Pulled the acess cover from the flywheel and could turn the engine by prying against the flywheel. So, put the starter back in and same thing. Bumped over then clicks. Tried to turn the engine prying on the flywheel and it will not turn with the starter bolted in.

Pulled the starter engine turns no problem.

For grins I put the starter from my old 218 on, same thing engine will not turn with the starter bolted on.

Any suggestions?
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If you have a 6 volt system and a 6 volt battery make sure you have the proper gauge battery cables. A 12V cable will not be large enough to carry enough current to spin your starter under load.

 

Running 12V. Same system that I have been running for the past 4 years and it worked fine with my 218.

 

Are you turning it the right way with the bar? The starter could be bringing it up to a blockage, then you turn it backwards by hand.
If that's not it, does the starter seem to be stopping in the same place? The ring gear could be damaged.
Turn it over two full turns by hand to be sure its not something inside the engine. Don't keep hitting the starter, you might bend something inside.

 

Being a newbie I could be way off, but is the starter shimmed properly? I had a similar issue with an improperly shimmed starter once.

 

It ain't a CHEVY !! That old crate don't use shims.

 

Pop the plugs out and see if it'll turn it then. I wonder if either timing is too far off or if there is too much compression for the starter to turn the motor over. I'd try it that way and see.

Also, can you turn it through a full revolution or two by hand or just move it a little bit? I also wonder if something internally is interfering and acting as a stop.

 

I'm not familiar with the flathead sixes, but shimming the starter to the proper tooth clearance is a requirement on many engines. If there's not enough clearance, they can jam things up. If not that, maybe starter mounting bolts are too long and jamming against the flywheel?

 

low battery?