I have a 1995 bonneville and 2 days ago I turned off the engine for a bit, and when I tried to start it again all I got was a click. I put a new starter in December and a new battery at the same time. I took the starter back to the auto parts store and they replaced it for me. Still nothing but a click. I had the battery tested and it'* fine. I took the radiator cap off and I had sludge around the rubber gasket on the cap. I noticed that my recovery bottle for coolant was empty. It wasn't a week ago. My oil looks fine though.
When I tried to start the car my dash lights and amp gauge would dim to nothing and the starter would get hot fast. Do you think that the engine freeze up? (my worse nightmare) It is a se 3.8L with 145,000 mi. on it. I am the second owner.

If hydro lock is the suspect, remove all the spark plugs and attempt to turn over again.

What does it mean when a car is “hydrolocked”? Is there any way to fix it? – The Blogs at HowStuffWorks

A common problem with our cars is the Upper Intake Manifold breaking down. There are two coolant ports, a send and a return going through it to the throttle body. These coolant ports have the EGR sandwiched between them, which as you can imagine is incredibly hot. GM, in all their infinite wisdom, decided nylon was a great material and since it eventually gets porous and breaks down, the coolant then leaks into your engine and BAM, eventually it'll lead to hydrolock (though you'll get the typical steam out of the exhaust for a while before usually). The Lower Intake Manifold gaskets also eventually break down, and it'* always advisable to replace them when your upper intake starts to fail with the new revised aluminum-framed revision ones. You'd have to tear off the Lower and Upper intake, get new gaskets for Lower, get a new Upper Intake kit (with revised smaller EGR Stovepipe)...I'd recommend pouring a quart or two of dino oil down and all over the crank with the pan open to clean the motor out of any residual antifreeze and then put back together. This is if this IS your problem, but it'* quite common..infact enough to say it'* not a matter of if but WHEN.

https://www.gmforum.com/mechanical-1...2005-a-304071/

https://www.gmforum.com/mechanical-1...ts-l36-297702/

Yea, what Mike and Justin said.

Scary. I know of a service writer at a tire place that can literally smell a Pontiac with a bad intake manifold/gasket on the lift, as he walks by.

I am the same way myself. I can smell'em

thanks guys, i need to get the car towed home before repairs start, but I think you hit it on the head. Hydrolock sounds like the problem. I'll keep you posted.

The plugs are out, NO water(anti-freeze) in any of the cylinders. The starter strains to move the engine and it only moves a very little bit. Put a socket and breaker bar on the harmonic to turn the engine by hand. I can get it to turn backwards, but turning it the right way proves to be next to impossible. This is with the plugs out! The battery load tests fine. The starter is new(re- manufactured). I just put it in when it wouldn't start. I should almost be able to turnover the engine by the fanbelt with the plugs out, shouldn't I? The oil is fine and the car never overheated.
What should be my next move, 'cause right now I'm at a loss....