[Shotimes] Re: Rod Bearings/Scratch Head

[Randy Palmer]

A buddy in high school bought an Opel with a disassembled engine for $10.  
We bolted it back together, fired it up, and it had a slight knocking that 
got MUCH WORSE very quickly.

Pulled the engine and found one rod bearing beat to hell and almost gone.  
Replaced it and tried again with the same result.

Turned out to be a stretched connecting rod.

I don't know how the backfire and cracked piston might cause the rod to 
stretch, but that might be something to look at if the crankshaft oil 
passages are clear.

   -RP