Toyota Repair: 4-runner wont start, metal shavings, fly wheel

Question
I have a '97 Toyota 4-runner, 2.7 liter, 175009 miles.  Here's my dilema: I had my toyota repaired in 12/03 because it had a hard time starting.  After they repaired it worked fine until sometime in May this year when it started having a hard time starting up again. Sometimes when I would try to start it, it would start on the first try and other times I would turn the key and nothing, I would keep trying and finally it would start.  Now my brother recently borrowed my truck to go see a friend who lives down the road and out of his friend's driveway the tire busted.  He did not want to drive the truck with a  busted tire so he turned the ignition off.  A friend passed by and pulled him home. He says that when he tried to start the truck it would not start.  My husband thought that it might be the starter because when you turn the key it wants to start but it doesn't.  So we took the starter to a parts store and they said that it was in good working order.  We checked the battery and it too is working good.  My husband then took the oil pan off and he found some small metal shavings in there but nothing really big nor broken.  Could the engine have locked up?  My brother swears the truck did not shut off on him so what could it be?  Also my husband tried to turn the fly wheel but he couldn't do it.  So what do you think the problem might be?  I would really appriciate any thoughts as to what I might be able to do.  


THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

Gabi

Answer
Starter problems are very common on the 4Runners,it's possible that the starter gear is staying engaged in the flywhell and may have sized up while engaged, this is why the engine can't be turned over.
I recommend removing the starter and see if the engine can be rotated by hand with a wrench on the front pulley, if so, replace the starter.