Starter or something else?

OKay about 4 weeks ago I did the clutchess start mod and recently I've started to get this problem:
When trying to start without the clutch it almost sounds like the starter isn't even firing and the car stubles really rough to start but then eventually fires up. But most of the time when I use the clutch to start, the car fires like normal and starts up just fine. But a couple of times it has done the rough start up when using the clutch. Could this be my starter kicking the bucket? I'm on 109000 on the original....About 2 weeks ago I would get a real bad grinding noise when starting but recently that has stopped. Thanks for any help...

Its is grinding or more like scraping metal? If so its a bearing going bad in your starter.

It used to be a load banging noise, then moved to grinding noise, and now when you hear nothing. Sometimes you don't even hear it fire but somehow after a couple trys it starts anyways. But then other times it starts perfect.

Only thing I can think of that if it was the starter, it would be fucked by now lol. My only guess is that the pinion gear might have taken a crap on you. But, wait for someone else to respond because im not entirely sure.

Mine did something very similar to that recently. At first, the car sounded like it was just cranking slower. It kept getting slower and slower until sometimes it would just make a click when I turned the key. Other times it would fire right away.

Try this: turn on your headlights and try cranking the car. If they don't significantly dim, it's probably your starter (as it was mine). I guess starters can get "dead spots" on them (my dad used the terminology, don't really understand it) which is why sometimes it fires right away (sweet spot) and sometimes it sounds like someone dropped a drumset off a roof (bad spot) or sometimes does nothing (dead spot).

Actually, now that I think about it, you could have a short to ground in your armature, that might explain the banging noise.