The thread about the engine damage can be referenced here...

https://www.saturnforum.com/forum/saturn-s-series-sedan-27/00-sl1-dead-95-2k-why-9156/

Posted literally a week after the engine died...

 

I literally took this about ten minutes ago... The battery goes flat after a few days, so the car needed a jump, but it started like it has been... Knocks for about five seconds then smooths out... Video was taken after about 2 mins of idling, so the engine was warm...

After I cut the video off, I tested the engine under load, by setting the parking brake and trying to take off with the trans locked in 2nd gear... Naturally it didn't move, but at 2100 RPM, there was no knock under the load of trying to take off... It does knock a little if you rev the engine slowly with no load though...

 

Have you gotten under the car with it running and had someone rev the engine? I'm not so sure that's a rod knocking. It sounds to me like a bad pulley on it somewhere. Try removing the belts and then start and rev it and see if you hear it. If you do, then I'll have to agree it's either a rod or a cracked flex plate, but most likely a rod. My experience with worn or loose rod bearings is that they knock after getting into the higher range of rpms (say 1500 and above) and just knock harder and louder the higher you push the rpms.

 

Thats not the sound of a spun bearing. The knock of a spun bearing sounds like a hammer hitting an anvil, a very clear, loud and distinct knock. Your sound is more like a clatter of a loose timing chain or maybe some valve lifter clatter.

 

I'm inclined to agree with Keith. I really don't think it's a rod knocking.

 

After watching a video of a car with rod knock(an SL2), I think that either it's not rod knock, or it's just barely knocking...

 

Just a thought, but can the lifters be rebuilt? The only experience I Have with them was on my old ranger... Just a plunger inside a steel casing basically(the best I can describe)...
I will have to get a cold start video of the car, the noise is much worse at initial start up, and the oil light flickered once the last time I started it cold(2 min before the video I took)

 

The bottom line on an engine that has been a known oil consumer and started "knocking" after the oil light came on. An indication of lack of oil is there is some form of internal damage requiring the engine (most probably) having to be removed and opened up for inspection.
The oil consumption is a function of cylinder or piston ring wear which generally will require machine work to address the wear with new pistons and rings. The knocking based on the recent description is generally going to be a rotating part problem also requiring machine work and parts replacement.
Realistically depending on a wrecking yard source for a functional Saturn engine pretty much says it too is going to have an oil consumption problem.
I dunno what an inexpensive solution might be but if the car itself is worth spending money on it a a driver I would at least investigate the chance of having yours rebuilt before you break something that causes further damage and see if something like $1500 or so would get it done.

http://www.cleggengine.com/saturn-l-...1991-1998.html
or
http://www.cleggengine.com/saturn-l-...1991-2002.html

It looks like a Master kit is about 5 to 600 dollars and add machine shop time in fixing yours as new seems to be a possibility.

 

The oil consumption problem, I can deal with... The clatter/knock/whatever it is, not so much... My wife didn't check the oil in the car, but I'm used to checking my oil...

 

What weight oil are you using right now. If you are using 5w30, switch to 10w30.