I bought a starter to replace my original 1998 Maxima starter, however the part that was apparently compatible is 8-tooth, where as the part I removed has a 10-tooth starter. I see on some guides that you can use an 8-tooth, but I'm wanting to make sure.
The 8-tooth works, but it sounds like it's struggling to turn over. It sounds way different starting up than the original did. Is the 8-tooth okay to continue to use? Is it damaging anything in there?
Thanks in advance for any help.

the 10 tooth does turn it over quicker,. My 95 came with a 8 tooth and the replacement was a 10 tooth, much improved over OEM

I don't kno and never counted the teeth on my starter, but every five or six cranks, I get a scrape sound. it sounds as if you turn the key while the car is already running. I don't kno why it does that.

I ran into the same issue on a 97 Maxima with a starter that I pulled off a salvage 96 infinity I 30. The salvage yard interchange list said that it should be the same starter however the one that I pulled off was that an 8 tooth where as the one that was on my car was a 10 tooth. I noticed both of the starters were remanufactured so one of them (or both) could be the wrong one. Will the 8 tooth one be ok or do I need to find a 10 tooth one? Thanks for your help.

I think even later years, 98 and 99, came with 11 tooth starters. If I was you, I'd track down a 10 or 11 tooth. To compare, walk in or call Autozone, Pepboys, Napa etc and see what they sell for comparison sake.

Go to bed.

I guess the question I am more concerned with is if I use the 8 tooth starter am I likely to dammage anything beyond just the starter?

no you wont damage anything i dont think. I think the 8 tooth starters turn the engine over a little slower than one with 10 or 12 teeth. I had a few used 8 tooth starters burn out real quick. So i got one off of a 01 maxima that had 12 teeth, havent had a starting problem since.

The reason Nissan increased the teeth on the starter was to eliminate some starting problems. The cranking speed of the original 8 tooth starter was just borderline for the flywheel crankshaft sensor to produce a pulse for the ecu. Changing the starter gear made the engine crank faster and produce a more reliable pulse from the crankshaft sensor to the ecu.

Get an 11 tooth starter if you can.