I have a MF 65 with an indirect injection 4 cylinder perkins. The back plate on the starter was broken when I got it. Replaced it and it broke again. Pulled the starter all apart and everything looks good.
Could it be caused by the fuel injection pump timing being too far advanced. The tractor starts and runs well, it starts quickly with no effort. It does smoke quite a bit when it's cold, but I think that's normal.
The timing marks all line up. I pulled the front cover and checked. I have never seen an engine push the end plate out of the back of the starter before.
Any suggestions?

Does your starter have the 3 bushings? The reason I asked I had a 3 bushing Delco starter rebuilt on a 275 put it back on it would barely turn, pulled it back off hooked a set of jumper cables to it spun like a top, put it back on same problem, the battery was load tested to begin with, tried another known good battery with jumper cables no change, pulled it back off tore it down rebuilder had put carbon brushes in it in place of the metallic ones, too long of screws in the brush holders, dug a little deeper and the screws were left out off the center bushing plate because it came without the mounting holes bored, that is where the main problem was , when the starter was activated the magnetism of the fields would pull the bushing plate against the end of the armature shorting it out. If yours used the center bushing and it is damaged or missing your armature could be bent or flexing damaging the end plate. if the flywheel end play was causing the problem you should see where it is contacting the Bendix overrun clutch.

Crankshaft Thrust.??????
Bob..

When I got this tractor it was running, but had a knock in the engine and low oil pressure. I tore it apart and found that the No 4 rod bearing was gone and had scored the crank. So I put a new crankshaft and bearings into it. I replaced the rod with the spun bearing with a new one. Also put in a new oil pump. By the way the rod bearing went because of someone using too much silicone gasket seal. A piece got into the oil gallery and blocked the flow to #4. So the crank end play is with in new specs. I also put in a new ring gear. I did not remove the injector pump to work on it. So the timing is as it was before. But it's anyone"s guess if
the pump has been "adjusted".