@chucktobias I have read this it's just different than the posts and videos. It's a short crank and that's it like it's taking all the power off the battery. I have lights and dash display but no start. I'm probably going to remove the alternator and starter from the car and get a ride to my town to have them tested. I'm 22 miles from the closest town, that's why I was trying to get a diagnosis online. LOL If anything I'll replace both parts. But it's about 300$ for non crappy parts.

@mtleader Obviously it's tough to tell from here but checking our your electrical system is a good place to start. The lights and dash take a lot less current than the starter and it's not uncommon for those to work but the car still won't start if the electrical system is weak. Don't forget to check cables, they're nearly 1/4 century old and there could be corrosion causing a voltage drop with the high current draw of the starter. Also make sure the ground strap between chassis and engine is good.

@chucktobias I have looked at the wires and they all look good and they are all tight, and clean. I cleaned the cars undercarriage after I bought it. I didn't do the top part of the engine, I did on a 2019 car and I fried the PCM. So I don't do the motor Bay now. I'll need to look for the ground strap what area is it in? I inspected a lot of wire's I may have seen it.

@mtleader Looks can be deceiving. If possible do a voltage drop test on the battery cables. (Search youtube for the procedure.) Or, check cranking voltage at the starter. If all is good it should not drop below about 10 volts.

I drive very old cars as well and you have to take every possibility into consideration when there's a problem. I'm not sure where the chassis-to-engine ground strap is on that car. On most it's at or near one of the engine mounts. You can find a shop manual at charm.li that may help.

@chucktobias found the strap in really nice shape. The starter on the other hand is not in good condition. All rusted and wires look burned on the back of starter. I'm going to try and remove it in the AM. I tried today but man it's really hard in the space. I seen a forum with a compressor moved to get at it better with a lot of extensions. I'll post after I get it done.

@chucktobias I cannot get the top bolt of the starter out. No matter what combination of extensions and sockets and everything I use I can't get any type of grip on the ratchet to get it to turn or it'll fall off or it'll be too short to put the ratchet on it every video online says it needs to be a certain length so I make it that length and it still doesn't work for me so if you've ever done one do you know what combination of extensions and sockets you used I have 3/8 half inch drive and quarter inch drive I know quarter inch drive is not going to take a torque out bolt loop but I've been doing this for 2 days now and I can't get that boat out

@mtleader Unfortunately I have never worked on one of those cars so I really don't know what's needed to take the starter out. Possibly someone who has done it can comment.

You might want to start a new topic since how to remove the starter is a different question than diagnosing why the car won't start.