Emergency!!! Please Help! Engine problem! Something is broken and/or bent

[Blane]

My 1992 celica st 1.6L 4AFE pictured below is dying. The Engine had a knock... now it's super serous knock. I don't think it's a snapped rod. I think it is a bent valve lifter rodd or something like that.

My question is: Can I still drive with the bent valve rod?
I would like to know if I drive the car next week while the new replacement engine is on it's way next week. I am buying a 5afe to replace the engine.

Tomorrow I will be going back to work (where my car is sitting right now) and get video of the engine with the valve cover off. and run the engine.

BTW.... My oil is at the propper level. The engine has 239,300 miles on it.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!

You all are the best!

[toyomoho]

Are you saying it might be a bent valve stem? I thought the valve train on this engine was overhead cam and the cam road directly on the valve shin/bucket. Other then making the noise how does the engine run. A bent valve or broken rod will cause the engine to run rough.

With engine running remove each spark plug wire one at a time. If the noise lowers or goes away you have found the problem cylinder. Might be a bad rod bearing pounding away. An engine can run reasonable OK with a bad bearing (for a while) but the condition will get worse over time. Use a piece of rubber hose as a stethoscope and attempt to run down the location of the noise, upper or lower engine.