Have a 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue,3.5 L with 145.000 miles. I was driving yesterday on rain, I hit a pothole, and the car stalled. Towed to the house, the air filter was soaking wet. When I try to start the car it makes a clicking noise- the starter try to turn over but can’t. I checked if the motor is locked up, when I turn the harmonic pulley- only turns one way- anticlockwise.
Take out the spark plugs. Now try to turn the engine in the clockwise direction using a socket on the crankshaft bolt. If water spurts out of one or more cylinders, you probably hydrolocked the engine. If you can get the engine to turn easily using the crankshaft bolt, try spinning the engine with the starter. If you get spark at the plugs, dry everything off; put the plugs back in; and try to start.
If you can get it to start, you might have gotten lucky and no damage was done. Usually a hydrolocked engine sustains damage – like bent connecting rod(s), broken piston(s), etc. Wishing you good luck on this.