Oil pan exposes connecting rods?

[Garfield2]

If I take off the oil pan, can I see the connecting rods? If I wanted to inspect or replace the connecting rods would simply removing the oil pan give access to them?

[rknorr]

By removing the oil pan you will be "exposing" the con-rods but you will need to pull the heads in order to replace them. You would have to drop the pan to remove the con-rod bearing caps and then push the piston and rod assembly out the top of the block. I'm pretty sure there isn't room to remove them from underneath.

[Garfield2]

I have a 1989 Isuzu P'up (truck) with a 4 Cylinder engine. When I bought it I noticed that the rod bearings were making a bit of noise. I managed to pull the pan off enough to take of the rod bearing end caps. Then I carefully pushed the piston up (take out all the spark plugs). This let me get the top connecting rod bearing out... sort of slid it around and down and out.

Then I greased up the new connecting rod, put the top one on and slid it up to the top and put the other half in the end cap of the connecting rod and re-assembled the connecting rod. Did this on all 4 and run great for many many miles.. I still own that truck BTW.