Like the subject says, after I finished my LT install this weekend before we ever cranked the car for the first time, we put the starter back on. It seemed to be going bad. Car fired once with great difficulty.

Went to Autozone, bought a "Duralast" Starter for $130. Put that on... car just grinds or makes some sort of awful awful noise when it engages. I got under the car and watched it while we cranked it with the PCM fuse disconnected. It DOES in fact turn the flywheel, but not extremely fast. We tried shimming the outboard bolt because we thought it wasn't grabbing the teeth correctly. No luck there.

We took it back and bench tested it. It was drawing 260+ amps on the starter bench at Autozone when it was rated at 145. Then we had them get another "new" Duralast starter and test it, same model, same 145 amp rating drew 260+ amps AGAIN. My starter and the other starter both popped out the brandix, and spun just fine, but at least mine won't hardly start the car. It clicks and grinds like the battery is dead.

I am trying to pull the starter off my friends wrecked 95 Firehawk tomorrow. But before I do that, do you guys think it is in fact the starter?

 

Sounds like it.. could also check the flywheel?

 

Its a M6. I can see the flywheel teeth when the starter is removed and they look ok.

 

my bad.. but yeah sounds like the starter is bad then. Go put your buddies on and see how it does. Also they sell smaller gm ones that aren't that expensive and save a couple pounds, I think they are off LT4 cars, you could go that route too if the starter's bad.

 

Did you check the obvious, like the battery?
A dead battery, can make it seem like the starter is dead.

 

yea battery is a big possibility, along with looking aroung your starter to see if any wires are on your headers, such as you 12 volt wire from your starter to your batt.

 

Car won't even start with a jumper cable. We trickle charged it too, and nada. I mean, the starter turns, sure, but it makes a ridiculous noise and barely if at all starts the car.

The starter problems began before the car had been fired up even once after the LTs. So it hasn't even had a chance to melt yet.

 

Check to see if you snagged any wires and cut them open where it can arc, when i installed my macs i sliced the wire to the knock sensor... let me know what you find