Nola-Dan

I have a 99 chevy 2500 5.7L

A few weeks ago I got up in the AM to head to work, the truck was having hard crank problems, as in it would turn a bit pause, an turn a bit more and pause, and do this as long as I persisted on the key.

Well I waited a bit, and decided to try again later. It cranked right up..
But the next day the same thing, a bit worse though, and after a few more tries, the starter when out- I took it to get tested, and sure enough it stopped ejecting...
So I get a new starter on, cranks up fine, a bit wound up sounding, but was a reman, so I suspect they will always sound lesser great than new-

But again the next morning, it started the hard cranking issue, but now a new sound added, like metal on metal... So I of course tried the various shims thinking ofc, a reman is famous for needing them, To no success, it was not the shims..

Eventually, at one point I tried a bit harder to get it started to get it to a garage, (i live way out in the country, a tow would cost me 300+ bucks) But instead of any luck, the truck kicked back, slung my starter right off its bolts! Yep! broken bolts in the block now- Luckily since Id been changing them they were not like aged welded in..So I got them out, and have new one in.

Now doing some research, I found that the problem may have all along resided in the crankshaft position sensor... Which I have now just put on there, my question is, How am I to take it, get it scanned or relearned, if it still wont crank, and does the crank pause crank pause crank pause cranking deal (but now with the horrid metal grinding sounds which are prob destroying my plate) Is there a solution to getting it cranked?