Screwed up my starter. Someone familiar with starter internals?

[Hum]

998 with 6.5. The starter bracket is in place and tight. Connections at starter and chassis are clean and tight, but I should have worked on battery connections more before I ended up where I am currently. It has more bendix to flexplate clearance than is should (less than ideal gear engagement), so that is not why the bendix is sticking.
My bendix stopped engaging the flexplate on most attempts to start. Solenoid works to the extent that starter spins every single time, but engine does not get turned. I removed the plug aligned with the solenoid axis (takes a 1-1/4" socket) and pushed with a screwdriver to engage the bendix. That worked, but the bendix is now stuck to the flexplate. I can pry the bendix away from the flexplate, but as soon as I let go it springs back in with considerable force.
I assume that the only spring in the there with that much force is the spring around the solenoid shaft (the spring that returns the solenoid to its "resting" position).
When I apply 12V to the the solenoid coil terminal, the solenoid fires every time and then returns, so the spring is still working for the solenoid also.
Any triicks to try or I need to drop the starter and remove the solenoid to see what I did? The nut at the end of the solenoid axis... If undo that nut, I need to measure how deep it is on the shaft to get the bendix engagement distance right?
Also, what should be the voltage the solenoid coil sees when cranking? I saw 16, 17, 18 V flash on a DMM while it was trying to engage.
Edit: I didn't get any numbers of the starter, but I believe (but could be wrong) that this is an earlier type direct drive version.
TIA!

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Needs to be energized....

 

[Hum]

Needs to be energized....

It starts every time now but the bending won’t fall back from the flex plate. A considerable spring force is pushing it there. Energizing the solenoid several times did not help.
I probably did not understand your reply correctly.

 

[Hum]

To shorten the story, starter would spin but engine would not turn because bendix was not engaging flexplate. I remove plug and pushed on lever and that started truck but now bendix stays engaged to flexplate at all times.

 

[Action]

Check for worn teeth on flexplate. Have you replaced anything. A shim may or may not be needed above starter. Hit thd solenoid with a hammer.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Remove the starter and replace the solenoid...you can test it on the floor via a 12v battery

 

[Hum]

Check for worn teeth on flexplate. Have you replaced anything. A shim may or may not be needed above starter. Hit thd solenoid with a hammer.

The teeth are fine. Have not replaced anything. It has a shim but actually needs to be adjusted for deeper gear tooth contact. Solenoid works (but is probably too weak).

 

[kc5mzd]

My starter does similar weird stuff when the battery voltage gets low. Try charging each of the batteries till they are fully charged - replace them if they are suspect. I have 2 $50.00 group 78 Walmart batteries that have worked well for over 1 year now.