BigKev,
No change shorting the plugs eliminates piston, wrist-pin, con rod noise, and loading the motor should change the noise if it was the flex plate.
Good clue with the starter noise.....If the starter pinion / ring gear mesh is to tight the starter Bendix may not be disengaging from the ring gear. Or a bad Bendix that is not kicking the starter pinion out of the ring gear.
You may want to look at the Bendix to verify its condition and then cut some shim stock to mount between the starter boss and flywheel housing. If the pinion / ring gear mesh is tight the shim stock will open this up.
Another way to check this is to remove the starter, pack some clay around the starter pinion and bolt it back in. Remove the starter and check the thickness of the clay. You may have to spin the starter pinion gear our and tape it in position so you make sure it meshes with the ring gear when you bolt it in.
PackardV8's comment about the floating pickup screen sounds good, a quick and easy check by dropping the oil level. If the floating pump screen is stuck in position this may not show it. Dropping the pan may be required.
If dropping the oil level doesn't change anything, how about pulling the plugs and turning the engine over using a socket / breaker bar on the crank harmonic balancer nut? If the crank is hitting the non-floating pump pickup screen you may be able to hear it by turning the engine by hand.
K-D also makes a simple tool that hooks on the flywheel ring gear teeth to rotate it by hand.
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/kdt2270.html Your previous comment of having some distributor shaft side play - I've seen .005" max. shaft side play as a service limit it a few shop manuals for distributors with points.
Regards,
Dave
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