How can I tell if my flywheel on my 1997 Cadillac deville has broke?

I have a 1997 Cadillac deville and every time I try to start the car when I turn the key it just makes a funny grinding noise and wont fire up. Someone told me it might be my flywheel but I don't know for sure. so how can I tell if it is that?|||pull the starter off and look at the pinion gear, that is the gear that is part of the starter. if that is worn or chewed up, that could be part of the problem. then take a look into the area where the starter came off of the block. you should see about a 6 inch section of the ring gear. look at the teeth on the gear and judge the condition. use a flash light to see the gear better. it might be useful if you were able to turn the engine over with a large wrench on the crank shaft bolt. this would allow you so see more teeth on that gear.|||Both of the answers are good except that since it's a '97 I assume it's a northstar engine.The starter on a northstar is located underneath the intake manifold.It's not going to be a quick and easy job to remove the starter.|||listen to here is the grinding noise has a pattern.like every half second.

never heard of those cars having fly wheel issues.

you sure your starter isnt bad.It could be grinding itself inside of the starter.

start could be stripped and grinding on the flywheel.