Oh cruel fate!  The automotive gods have kicked me in the nuts yet again.....

I jumped in my '97 F-150 last Thursday to run to the store, but when I turned the key all I got was a loud "thunk."  Great.  So I hit the internet for some answers.  Possibly a bad solenoid switch.  Okay, swap that out......nothing.  Damn.  So I pull the starter, which is none too easy on the 4.2, and take it in to be tested.  Two diiferent parts places test it, and it passes.  Its the original starter, and the terminals were kinda crusty, so I clean it up and stick it back in.  Fingers crossed, I turn the key to yet another "thunk"  I try again, this time it turns over.  Hmmm....  Third time it finally starts, but is suddenly knocking like crazy!  WTF?!

Quickly shut it down, and crawl back under to take a look...to find a half dollar size piece of oil pan laying on the ground....shoot me now.  After looking online, I'm thinking it fell victim to the coolant leak thats common to these motors, and it hydrolocked and probably bent a rod, if not broke something.  Disassembly to follow...

It hadn't shown any signs of something being wrong, with only a tick over 100K miles, and I've only had the damn truck for about six months.

Sooo, all other projects are on hold until this gets sorted out.  I'm just hoping the block is ok and is rebuildable.....

Oh man, that sucks!    Sounds like you're looking for a take-out engine to replace that one... I feel your pain, man.    Sorry to hear that!