Q: Timing off

The pinion teeth of the starter motor engage with the teeth on the flex plate, and the starter motor cranks over the engine. I don’t see how you could have messed up your timing during a starter replacement. But it is possible the starter was installed incorrectly. These starters use a shim that must be re-installed for proper operation. Otherwise the pinion teeth on the starter don’t mesh correctly with the teeth on the flywheel. It is also possible that the flywheel is damaged and requires replacement. I suggest having a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, inspect your car’s starting problem and timing issue to determine what fixes can be made.