The International Cessna 170 Association

The continenal service manual specifies it's important the starter pinion travels 7/16" to engage engine flywheel, before the starter power button is contacted. I have just noticed that some of the time, it travels much less, unless I move the prop a little. The gear teeth must be in the right position for them to mesh. When they don't mesh, pulling the lever a little harder collapse a internal shaft inside the pinion, until the starter button is reached, the starter cranks and the teeth engage. Is this normal, or will this soon destroy the gears? Thanks for any input.

This is how the starter works when the teeth dont line up. Mike