Before I start working on it AGAIN...

[AuberginesDriver]

I'd like some other opinions. Last week the serpentine belt SHREDDED in my 93 Explorer. I was in the passenger seat so am at a disadvantage in describing what happened, but there was no acceleration so we limped to the next exit (less than half mile). Near the top of the off ramp the brakes wouldn't work, the steering got "Armstrong", and smoke began pouring out from under the hood. I coasted downhill to a service station and opened the hood. The smoke didn't stop for more than 5 minutes! (At some point while waiting, I may have gotten nervous and used the extinguisher... which coated the battery...I know, dumb move...) Anyway, no problems replacing the belt. Cleaned the battery terminals. Charged battery with jump to another car. No start. As a matter of fact, she made a completely unnatural and unusual noise when I turned the key. It wasn't a click, nor a sputter, nor a cough. It sounded like a wheeze. Gave up after an hour and got her towed home.
Tomorrow I intend to put some time into diagnoses. I know there are a couple vacuum plugs which need to be replaced and it's long past the time I should have replaced my battery cables, so I'll get to those first. I will follow the process in the engine forums for troubleshooting "No Start". All of the pulleys move like they are supposed to when trying to start the engine, and the button on the inertia switch is still depressed. Is there anything else I should check for, fix, consider while I'm under the hood?

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Closest possibility I can come up with for a "wheeze" (That's a new one, thought I heard em all, LOL) possibly a flat spot on the flywheel ring gear, which wouldn't allow the starter to engage it. Easy way to check is turn the motor a little with a socket on the crank, and then try to start it. If it starts then you probably got a bad spot your flywheel. Have you tried to jump across the solenoid to eliminate that? starter relay?