Thanks mate..... Can I just ask whether the engine would run? Or what would be the symptoms of big end failure other than a visual inspection just out of curiosity? I am gunna ring him today and ask him as I think he's still waiting for the new pump assembly to arrive.....Is it just as simple as pulling a cap off to inspect it?
It should be.
They are usually the first thing to go on oil starvation, but if the mains are OK, and the big end journals are OK but the mains bearing sheel slightly scored, new mains MAY be enough.