Starter motor toast?

[Megan Bigelow]

the starter on my 88 90q made some funny buzzy-grindy noises about 10 starts
before it completely died. : )

megan

John Winkelman wrote:

> The starter motor on my '87 5kCSTQ  w/ 170k miles suddenly started being
> VERY noisy the past several starts. It starts the car okay (for now) but
> sounds sort of like the bearings are being ground into fine bits while it's
> doing it. I assume it's the bearings and not the brushes, since it does seem
> to turn the motor over as well as ever. Any other thoughts before I get out
> and get under (as soon as the rain subsides)?
>
> jwink