I was referring more so to your technique. If you'd call it that? Do you need to pull the starter hard and fast typically? Or is it a gentle easy pull? See the video below:
Note how he doesn't need to yank at the starter super hard or fast. I know with my engines, if everything is calibrated correctly, you shouldn't need to yank it's guts out, it should be a steady easy pull, and often, slow. It shouldn't need to be super fast.
The reason I mention this is if the engine is more difficult to start, possibly because of the additional components under the engine, pulley, etc, you may be pulling the starter harder than it needs to be pulled? If you pull the starter slowly, regardless of if it starts, does it kick and buck? Does the starter snag like normal if you go really slowly? If it doesn't, then that could be a clue?
And please, of course, don't take any of this the wrong way, I know you know about PT's and what to do with them, just a suggestion/thought, it's good to cover all bases, even pros forget sometimes.
