Starter jammed in flywheel.

[Joeyv]

I have a recurring issue with my 1940 Mercury. On what used to be a rare occasion, the starter motor would get jammed in the flywheel. When that happens, pushing the starter button results in nothing happening, not even a sound. Lately the problem seems to happen more frequently, typically at an inconvenient location. I have been told I could free that jam by rocking the car back-and-forth, but I have never had success doing it that way. The only way I’ve been able to free it is to loosen the bolts of the starter and back it out. Sometimes it requires prying with a screwdriver to get the starter to separate from the flywheel. I’ve heard several opinions on what the cause of this problem is. I’ve been told it’s an issue with the starter, that it is not functioning as it should; it needs the brushes replaced, or the centering plate replaced. I had the centering plate replaced and it still jammed. I’ve also been told that cause of the problem due to the flywheel which will consistently stop at a couple of locations when the starter is used to start the engine. Those locations, overtime, wear those flywheel teeth down, and that’s where the start of motor jams.
Has anyone else experienced the same problem? If so, did you find the cause of the problem and a remedy that worked? Thanks