96 Bonneville doesn't start, makes vacuum noise
 

When starting my 1996 Bonneville, it doesn't turn over, when I hold the key in position when starting, it makes a sound like there's a vacuum cleaner under the hood. Any ideas about what this could be?

If it doesn't turn over and make a whirring noise when try to start, you might have a starter that gone bad and the stator is not engaging the gear. Pull the starter and take it to a auto parts store and have them test it.

It barely started the first time around, lights flickering on and off when turning the ignition... when I turned it off and then back on, just the loud whirring sound. Any idea on how difficult it is to remove and replace the starter?

Check and clean your battery cables first. They might be corroded and not providing enough amps to fully engage the starter.

Went over to O'Reilly and purchased a whole starter for $85. Took the old one out and hooked it up to a battery, and the starter didn't do anything. I'm guessing it was the solenoid that went bad, and making it so the gear on the starter wouldn't engage the flywheel. We stuck the new starter in and the car started right up, flawless.

I've been driving my car for some time without the engine splash guard on, and I'm wondering if that has something to do with the tensioner assembly and starter that have recently gone bad...

Good to here.

That splash guard is there to keep water, dirt, and grim off the engine. I'm sure having it gone didn't help any.

Glad to hear that you got her running. Like Dan said...battery cables that are corroded are also a good way to keep the amps from reaching the starter and they need as much juice as they can get to spool the engine up.