She is right as I wrote before. I have had guys put fresh bearings in some cars and they worked but the bearing looked worn but very evenly and had not been knocking. The others that tried it just ended up with the same problem. You can have someone measure the journals if you take the pan off, but man that looks like such a chore that it would be easier to just do what Supragirl says and take it out and do it right. Believe me, you will be much, much happier, except for the pocket book, but you are going to pay anyway.
If you insist just trying to put bearing in without pulling the engine, you may be fine, but marginally. The symptoms you mention are not really bad, but that metal is usually coming from the bearing and sometimes that metal gets into the cam bearing and I don't think they can be machined. The cam bearing aren't really bearings but the machined surface on the heads for the cams to spin in. If you could get these machined then the shims will have to be readjusted for valve clearances.
Lasty, if the knocking isn't too bad at startup, try some STP or Lucas oil in the engine. They offer protection on startups and maybe it won't knock as much and get you around al little longer, but try thicker oil, 50wt racing oit works pretty well.
The engine I just got from an excellent 87 N/A had a 4 inch hole under the oil filter, combination of bad rod bearing, low or no oil and high revving on a weak engine, but there are some highly modified parts laying in the engine compartment that shouldn't be there.
Sorry to ramble, just got off work and ready for bed. Good luck and let us know what you think you might want to do.
Russ
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