Engine must be supported.
How I do it.
Transmission removal
Before you do all that, are you sure it's rod knock? The autos have a vacuum pump for the brake booster. They're mounted to the rear of the right side (bank-1) head. They like to fail and make a nasty knocking sound on idle when they've sucked out all the air. They quiet down when they're working. If you pull the brake booster hose and the sound goes away, bingo.