Flex plate...

So that's what my flex plate looks like after hearing grinding for the last 10-20 starts. After talking on another thread it sounded like the only thing left it could be was my flex plate needed to be replaced. Well I have a new one on the way and I'm beginning the tear down, but after further review I want to be 100% that replacing it will fix my start problems.

It's a bad photo, but it's still clear that my teath aren't chewed up horribly. There is some slight indentation on the plate at the teeth (on the skinning side it's a little worn in to the metal) but I still find it hard to believe that could be why it's grinding.

I've had my starter tested 5 times at 3 different shops and all have said it's good, I've told them to check the bendix, they still say it's good. My thought is maybe the starter isn't moving in to the gears enough? What's odd is when it first started doing this I pulled the starter, cleaned it, and put it back and it worked fine for two weeks till it did it again, now it won't stop grinding. And the teeth on the starter are starting to get a little chewed too. It seems like the starter is only engaging partially based on the wear, should it be flush with the teeth?

So what should I do? Continue with replacing the flex plate, or is that unlikely the cause?

~Scott