Sometimes the starter spring that makes the gear jump in towards the
engine and engages the starter gear with the teeth in the flywheel gets
weak and worn out, so the gear is just spinning in the end of the
starter but it is not engaged into the flywheel to turn the engine over.
That could be why you hear spinning but the engine does not rotate.
If it were mine, the first thing I would do is remove the starter, take out
1 or 2 spark plugs, then thru the hole where the starter goes into the
engine, put a large screwdriver or flat ended pry-bar, and try to rotate
the flywheel by hand with the pry bar, to make sure that the flywheel
bolts have not broken off or worked their way out of the flywheel and
torque converter. Have someone watch the end of the engine where
the belts and pulleys are to see if it turns or moves when you move
the fly wheel. If it does, I would spend the money on a replacement
starter. Good luck, let me know how you make out.
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