The only way you'll find out the condition of the rods and bearings is to tear into the engine unfortunately. Based on my experience, the main and rod bearings were the final tell tale that I needed to rebuild the engine, and as you read, that was after a whole lot of jacking around chasing other problems. It isn't easy to drop the oil pan and main web while the engine is in the truck, but it can be done.


If the knocking only started a couple of days before it died, then I would check the timing belt first. On the drivers side of the engine there is an inspection cover that can be removed without taking much off the engine. There should be four 10mm bolts to remove, and you can pull the cover up and off. Check the condition and tension of the belt. It should be pretty tight, like a fan belt. That will at least give us something to go by. If everything looks alright, then you'll have to dig deeper to see if your timing is off or not. If you determine the timing is on, then it's time to start digging deeper.