A starter is a series wound DC motor. It will pull several hundred amperes
if locked (& very little current while spinning free). That's why one has
heavy cables and relays (solenoids).

It's possible that you have a shorted turn, but you mentioned a hot cable,
and that fix is cheap and easy. Only if the cables are very good would I
pull the starter and take it to an automotive electric shop to be put on a
growler. (If you do, then while it's out, get new brushes and bushings.)
(It's almost never the starter.)

Measure the voltage drops. I'll bet your starter has five volts or less
across it while trying to crank.

Roger

http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm

"smoothz1977" wrote in message
oups.com...
Okay, understandable, however, do you think that the starter is pulling
too much of a load causing the heat?