Ok jeep community maybe you can help

I installed a MG starter and performed a big three upgrade. I go to start my XJ and I hear spinning but now cranking as if there is no contact with the flywheel my questions are;

Did I need to clock the starter before install if so how?
Do I need to bridge the wires on the Starter (one from the battery big post and one from the distributor small post) ? I ask because the original connector is one big peice of plastic.

Is the malfunction related to the big three upgrade?

 

Take the starter to autozone and let them test to make sure you didn't get a bad one out of the box.

 

Switch the wiring around on the starter, you probably wired it backwards

 

How so... The battery cable is connected to the large bolt and the distributor wire is on the small bolt, I can't see it being reversed

 

So the starter is spinning, but the motor isn't turning over?

If that's the case, I'd have to say that your suspicion is correct and it's not meshing with the ring gear.

Does it require shimming?

 

Bad selenoid

 

I'm going to double check the solenoid connection
Check battery charge
pull the starter bring it to get tested
Possibly hit it w a hammer if it's not working

And see where that gets me.... I was in the middle of installing a dual battery isolator (way overzealous) so I'll finish that then try the starter one last time ... I'll let you all know how it goes but if mean green / quadratec sent a bad starter out of the box I'm not going to be happy camper