hey guys, my gf camry is a 97 and she was driving it one day and all of a sudden it lost it's power and wouldn't start. i had to jump start it to get it running again but it was making an awful knocking sound like it threw a rod. drove it home then it wouldn't start even with jumping it. i put a new battery in it and it starts ok now but doesn't run very good it acts like it's missing. i'm pretty sure it threw a rod but is there any way to tell without breaking down the engine?

 

Try using a Stethoscope

How to use a scope

 

If you think you broke a connecting rod then a compression check would pick up 0 pressure in that cylinder. I have found stethoscopes very tricky to use, especially the oneRick shows with the direct contact probe without the rubber cup, as metal conducts sound so well it can be hard to pinpoint where it comes from. If you can get one with the rubber cup isolator that may help. I would start with a compression check. If you get poor or no compression try turning the engine by hand (plugs out) and using a screwdrivertest if the pistons are moving up and down and at the same travel.