Hi Guys

I'm wondering if it's as hard as the Haynes manual says it is to remove the oil pan? I was under there looking and it didn't seem all that evil. Of couse I don't have X-Ray vision so I don't know what I have to clear with the lip of the pan...

I'm going to do this (eventually) because according to my senses (and ipd's) I've got a conrod bearing problem. Here's the scenario...

Start the car and it knocks like someone's takind a wooden faced mallet to a solid piece of metal. It also idles really rough, but doesn't miss. Let the oil circulate and the motor get warmer and the knocking gets quieter and the idle smoothes out, but at idle and in neutral the knocking is still really noticible. So, the guy on the phone with me when I was talkin' to ipd, said, "when it gets warm and the idle smoothes out, sit in the car while it's running and have a buddy pull the plug wires one by one, and see when the knocking goes away." So we did it, pulled #1, idled really rough but still heard knocking. Puled #2, same thing. Pulled #3 and the knocking stopped. Did the same with 4, but knocking started back up. Also, as per ipd instruction, used a broom as sort of a "stethoscope." Touched one end to the block, the other to my ear, and as I got closer to #3, the knocking got louder.

This car only has 140k miles on it, and at least since 100k, the oil has been changed religiously. The knocking has been around since then and hasn't gotten worse. Do you think it might be something else?

Thanks

Ryan