i have a 94 camaro 3.4l and i want to know if the rod bearings are bad or are going bad, will it still start up nice then after car is warmed up begin to knock or chatter?
i only hear chattering from upper end when car is warmed up. im hoping its just the oil pump causeing the noise cause no oil flow to upper motor.

v-6 engines are known to wipe out rod bearings, quick test is to remove the spark wire from the suspected cylinder. Start the engine ,if the noise gets better then you have a bad rod bearing on that cylinder. If the noise stays the same, first try another cylinder, you may have done the wrong one, but if noise stays the same its comming from else where.
Best way to check bearings is to remove the pan and one by one check the rod bearings. Then check the main bearings. You can stop checking after you've found a bad one as you will need a new crankshaft.

*update*

changed oil pump to a high volume pump and it fixed the upper end noise and the oil pressure is at cold = 80 and when warmed up its steady at 20. not seeing it at 0 and no check engine light.
but now, im getting or hearing the lower end noise and i believe its a rod bearing loose. going back in to fix that soon.

ok hypothetic question:

what can i change in my stock motor 3.4liter to get highest preformance power without changing the block and mounts?
any suggestions?

Don't know what the companies make for your 18 year old v-6, but you can change to a high performance cam, higher compression pistons, ported & polished heads, bigger fuel injectors, headers, either performance cat back exhaust or true duals, better intake breathing, etc. But if your going to go to that much trouble and expense, why don't you go out and buy a lt1 or ls1 f-body. You've doubled your hp right off the bat.

for one, thanks for pointing out its a 18 year old car like i cant count or didnt know and secondly i chose a v6 because i dont want a 8 mpg car with upgrades. i chose v6 because gas prices and all i want to do is upgrade my car some for a little more power.

So your living in la la land and don't think a 350 or 400 hp v-6 is going to get 8 mpg also. What I was trying to point out by calling attention to your 18 year old car, was to say that most parts manufacturers could care less about making high performance parts for a old v6. 3.4 v6 was a 3 year only engine I bet the parts companies are rushing to make hp parts for your car. There's still enough interest in lt1 and ls1 cars to continue to make parts to raise the horse power.

i didnt say a v6 with 300+400 hp to get a 8 mpg car. i was referring to switching it to a v8 lt or ls1 like you said then with upgrades to get the 8 mpg car. i was answering your question to me. if i wanted a v8 i would have bought one.

lt1 and ls1 cars aren't 8 mpg cars from the factory. My 95 gets 15 around town and 22 on the highway. My 90 with the stock v-6 only gets 20 around town and 27 on the highway.

i was referring to after upgrades on a v8. and saying 8 mpg was not specifying facts, was making a illistration (a point that i dont want a gas guzzler) just a little more power with what i got. sorry if you misunderstood me.

Thats ok

i already got this on it now...

K & N cold air intake
pace setter headers
magnaflow universal cat
flowmaster 80 exhaust
high volume oil pump
new water pump
new radiator
*new top end basically - most looked still good so i only changed the 2 lifters and rods in heads
i know i got a rod bearing loose cause i can hear it. so i need the lower end overhauled.

so im debating on either just fixing the camshalf with new shaft and bearings and timing chain or just having someone overhaul the whole motor with high preformance parts.

after much thinking and deliberation over the fact my car dont sound quite like it should or the way i want it too. i`ve decided to pay the money and get it fully rebuilt with high preformance parts from oil pan to throttle body. It wont be that much more in $ if i had someone just rebuild the lower end.
found someone who quoted me 1900 - 2300 to rebuild with stock and 200 - 400 more with high preformance parts and dyno tested for optimal running and curvature of hp to torque. so im going for 2500 - 2700 to get my car mean for a v6. then finish the body up in spring.