You can... however you’ll be further ahead pulling engine and give it a better look before hand. Might save a bunch of $$$.
Yes my father had to have the thrust surface repaired on the crank to his 470 engine when it had only dyno time and 150 miles of driving. So he pulled the engine out of the car, put it on his engine stand and removed only the timing cover and oil pan so he could removed the crank and send it out to be welded and machined.
Possible... with two guys holding the rods in position and one guy running a "sensitive" hoist lower the crank back in. Go ahead and practice holding that crank out at arms length extremely steady for 1/2 hour. Just a bump and you have a nicked journal. A single grain of sand (or carbon!) can lock it up tighter than OJ AND Eppstein in paper suits. Hopefully all the rods will line up, clear the block frame and not have to be moved midstream. A chunk of rubber hose on each rod stud is mandatory as well. Did it to an Olds 350 with some spun bearings... ws
