Re the starter, since it seems slamming hood or key jiggling does the trick, one of two or three possibles,
And, yeah, the starter is a bear placement, sigh
Anyhoo'
Check the wires at the starter, ensure clean and tight connection
Check the wires for any worn insulation that exposes wires to a ground.
Starter itself may be toasting. check starter by~~~
1 ensure battery is in good condition
2 disable ignition, by unpluggingcoil pack, either pull the wiring plug harness off, or pull the coil wire AT BOTH ENDS
3 voltmeter btween battery positive terminal and starter B+ circuit, I can only tell ya there should be a red and green/white wire, which may be B+, no idea. But the red wire is direct from battery to starter [+] terminal. The green/white, finally lands after the starter relay, which is fed of the ignition switch, grren wire from ignition to starter relay, but again no idea where the relay is [expect it under dash]
Be watchful, the starter relay diagram shows a branch of the grn/wht wire out of the starter relay to both the starter itself and the ECM.
Nutshell, from the two starter wires at starter heading out
Red wire goes direct to battery
Grn/wht goes direct to starter relay, wherever it is, and a grn/wht wire branches back from relay to the ECM [under passenger dash]
from relay up, one green wire to the ignition switch itself, re the starter activation.
voltmeter at + battery terminal and one of the two starter wires [B+] circuit. since the red wire is direct and voltage is measured across + -, I presume it is the grn/wht wire at the starter. I may be wrong!!!!!
Ignition key to start only position, should see less than 0.5V, if more, then problem in starter cable or starter ground.
Voltmeter at Battery + terminal and starter M circuit, again peekaboo with which starter wire, ignition START only, if V is 0.5 or above, replace starter.
Either wire at starter showing 0.5 V or more
at START only, it your starter or starter cables.
Wanna talk about your neutral start-switch, LOL?? ayep, it in the mix too.
I hope this may help somewhat