John, I'm sorry to hear that! I KNOW the feeling!!! My motor is coming out tonight.....everything is disconnected and unbolted.....just have to pull it for my own tear down....getting all new rod AND main bearings. I think I hammered the rode bearings when I was playing with timing....detonation will kill them every time.
I never heard a knock or a tap, but this thing is so loud it would be near impossible to hear. The stuff floating around in the oil was definitely bearing material.
