SINGLE PLT OF C182 EXPERIENCES ENG FAILURE DURING VFR PLEASURE FLT. MANAGES A FORCED LNDG IN AN UNPREPARED FIELD WITH REASONABLE FACILITY.

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I WAS COMPLETING A CLB TO ABOUT 2500 FT AGL WHEN A FAILURE IN THE #2 CYLINDER (EXACT CAUSE NOT YET KNOWN) RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PWR AND SEVERE VIBRATION. I REDUCED PWR TO CTL THE VIBRATION; COMMUNICATED ON THE UNICOM FREQ (I HAD NOT CHANGED IT) THAT I WAS LOSING PWR AND INTENDED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD; AND BEGAN TO SET UP FOR THE LNDG. SEVERAL GOOD FIELDS WERE NEARBY BELOW ME; SO GLIDING RANGE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE DISTRS OF COMS (RESPONDING TO SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO CONFIRM POS) AND THE VIBRATION; I DID NOT MONITOR AIRSPD AS CLOSELY AS I SHOULD HAVE; AND TURNED FINAL TO MY CHOSEN FIELD EARLY IN AN EFFORT NOT TO BE SHORT. AS I ENTERED THE FIELD; I REALIZED I WAS TOO HIGH (AND PROBABLY TOO FAST); AND WITH TREES AT THE FAR END; I ELECTED TO TURN (APPROX 150 DEGS) INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD. FORTUNATELY; I HAD SUFFICIENT ENERGY AND ALT TO COMPLETE THE TURN AND WAS WELL POSITIONED FOR WHAT BECAME AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IN A PASTURE. I WAS UNHURT AND THE ACFT WAS NOT DAMAGED IN THE LNDG. EVEN THOUGH THE OUTCOME WAS FAVORABLE; THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I WISH I HAD DONE BETTER: 1) MINIMIZE COMS AND FOCUS ON THE TASK; 2) ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN BEST GLIDE SPD; AND 3) NEARING THE GND; FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING THE PROPER ALT AND DISTANCE FROM THE FIELD WHEN AT THE 'KEY POS.' THE VIBRATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT DISTR THAT THE TYPICAL ENG-OUT PRACTICE WITH AN INSTRUCTOR DOESN'T PREPARE YOU FOR. I'M HAPPY TO RPT A FAVORABLE OUTCOME AND GLAD THAT I'M HERE TO TELL THE STORY! (NOTE: WHEN WE TOOK OFF THE COWL; WE FOUND A BASEBALL-SIZED HOLE IN THE CRANK CASE OPPOSITE #2 CYLINDER -- THE DECISION TO ACCEPT A FORCED LNDG WAS A GOOD ONE.)