i went to start my car and there was nothing, no turning over at all just a weird noise then smoke came up around the passenger side of the engine but no flames, where could the smoke be coming from?

 

The smoke is probably off of one of the wires going to the starter, and it heated up and melted the coating off the wire. Try checking the grounds for the starter, and check and see if any wires have rubbed the coating off of each other and shorted out.

 

would that cuase it to not turn over too

 

Well if one of the wires connecting the strater to its power source is fried, then the starter obviously cannot crank the engine. So yes, it would cause it not to turn over.

 

how much would it be for a new starter? and is there any componets i would have to change or should change when putting ina new one?

 

Your starter probably isn't bad. Just check the wires and grounds that are connected to it.

 

Check the wires first, then worry about a new starter. If you can, check the cheap stuff before you worry about the expensive stuff.

 

starter is on the driver side

 

Check the ground wire between the tranny bell housing and the firewall. It should terminate onto a connector on the firewall near the windshield wiper motor, and somewhere on top of the tranny or engine, near the bell housing.