Take it or leave it... word of advise, limit the amount you run the engine if at all until you have a chance to give it a thorough evaluation. It could cost you more in the end to fix problems as they present, if there is minor damage and it progresses it could come to the point of a new/rebuilt engine. If you go through it thoroughly to start with you could save yourself some cost in the long run. I would start by conducting compression check as previously mentioned (usually I'd start with the next step, but since I assume you drove it home, so what's a few more revolutions on components and to limit putting oil in and draining it multiple times). Depending on those results you can move on from there. If you aren't able to build compression I'd move to a leak down tester where you could supply air pressure (use relatively low pressure... start at 10 or 20 PSI and increase in 10 PSI increments and listen for where the air is going. From the oil fill or bottom end if you have oil pan off you have an issue with that cylinder's rings, intake issue with intake valves, tail pipe issue with exhaust valves. Keep in mind it needs to be on the compression stroke for that cylinder so both valves are closed so you will need to have access to know where the valves are in the cycle. Pulling the valve covers is the most obvious, but you should be looking at the bottom end next anyway so I'd drain the oil and drop the pan and pull top end apart next if it get that far. Though you won't be able to see or touch the valves to verify they are in the closed position you should be able to bar the engine a few times and figure out where the compression stroke is and go from there. When barring the engine having the plugs out will greatly reduce the effort needed to rotate. It's not a perfect method but I'd start with it while inspecting the cylinder walls and rods from below. Hopefully with these you will have a good starting place. Take your time and don't rush to get things back together, missing something in these preliminary steps will just be a waste of your time as it will surely end in a more costly repair down the road.

-Brad

 

Have you had a chance to go through the engine? Just curious to see if you found anything and if your back on the road?

-Brad