it could but the grinding noise is usually a starter that is not shimmed properly.

If you take one off that did not have shims that does not mean the new one does not need them as well. The mounting surface of the starter is what determines if shims are needed or not. Some starters get a little more machining than others do so the shims are needed. Also Remaned starters tend to need shims more often than new ones because they are machined for a true mating surface once they are rebuilt.

Massey

 

It also depends on the type of noise the starter is making. A more fingernails on the chalkboard type of grind means too loose of a gear mesh and shims will make it worse.
Getting under the car and taking a look see at the clearances would be the best thing to do.

 

Going to use this thread instead of a new one. Finally got the check engine light to flash my codes to me. I get the 12 followed by 36 which I've found is like 4 different things but people often talk about the MAF burnoff sensor. There's about 4-5 relays near my master cylinder which one of those is the burnoff sensor?

Or should I just get some of that maf cleaner and try that? The light doesn't always come on. It comes and goes.

 

based on your picture, id say a good set of wires and plugs wouldnt hurt to do. those things like ancient

 

The wires are pretty new supposedly (within the last 8 or so years at least that I can tell maybe less). The plugs I'm going to replace this weekend with a plat set that came with the car (they claim they don't have to be gapped). Never used the plat plugs before.

 

what sort of plugs are they? i used the bosch double platinums in my 305 and they fouled out in 4k miles. even though the plug wires have been replaced, 8 years can really wear them down. they will most likely break when you try to remove them from the plugs

 

You can try cleaning the MAF sensor for the fun of it, but I don't think that's the problem nor will do any good.
Under normal operation, the wire in the MAF gets heated up to a certain temp. and reads the difference of the incoming air to adjust the fuel mix. If the MAF sensor itself was bad, you would get a 33 or 34 code.
The MAF is also self-cleaning. When the engine is shut down (I believe after a 10 minute or so run), a relay is activated to shoot the MAF wire with 12 volts for a second or two. That will make the wire glow red to burn it clean. You can take your airbox off and look inside the duct to see if the MAF wire glows when the engine is shut off.
Your code 36 is telling you that the burn off cycle isn't happening. Get a volt meter and test one of the wires at the MAF (blue wire) and see if it gets a momentary 12 volts after engine shut down. If it does, check the other wire (red wire) for the same voltage. If you're getting no glow, and no voltage, the burn off relay (or circuitry) may be the culprit.
Also check all of your connections to make sure there isn't any corrosion, bent prongs, etc.