I just bought this car for my son. It has a 350 engine. It ran and started great for like a day. He went out to start it today and there was a terrible metal on metal sound. I have never heard it that bad in any car before. I have taken off the starter and brought it to get tested it came back as a good starter. I can spin all of the pulleys by hand so there is no apparent seizure. Any thought?

 

Sounds like you're possibly describing a starter to flywheel/flexplate gear mesh issue, either hitting too tight or loose.

 

My next step is to put the starter back in and see how they fit together. Is it possible for me to see visually if its too tight or too loose? Any thoughts on a solution?

 

Can that just happen? I mean the car was starting great for like 2 days and now I am getting this metal noise out of no where and without us doing anything but trying to start it.

 

Make sure the starter bolts didn't loosen, that can happen.
Can you post a video, starter noise has a distinct sound.

 

First and foremost, I know people throw them away, but is the front brace from the block to starter installed?
The angle piece should be in place to prevent the starter from twisting under power.
Buy a shim from the Help Aisle and install the thinnest first and listen.
Then increase thickness and listen.
If getting worst or if it does not disengage, then shim just the outside bolt as this action pushes the drive closer to flywheel.

externally charge battery also.

 

I have to put the starter back in and then I'll try to post a video. Thank you

 

Should it all of the sudden need to be shimmied? I mean it fired right up and started great for a few days. Then this happened. Is it possible that the 3 hour tow after the sale knocked something loose?

 

Hard to say without being there. When you removed the starter bolts, did it seem loose at all?

 

Okay I just put the starter back in. I went to start the car and it turned everything fine without making the metal noise. So the starter might have been loose. Now it won't start because of a possible power problem. It's just making a clicking noise and the fan won't spin.