Things been too hectic the last few days to spend time on the computer. Lots of good stuff here.
Changed dizzy, cap, rotor. Hooked it up to timed vacuum.
On the trips to check the advance I experienced a situation where it seemed the engine bogged down like it wasn't getting fuel. Gunned it a few times, it seemed to clear up except for a sound like a low-oil type tapping.
Pulled over, oil was fine. Started it, seemed ok. This happened a few times, so much so that the last time few times it happened I just kept driving it thinking the Seafoam had loosened up something that had to pass through.
The noises didn't go away. Got a constant tap/knock that is there at idle, and changes according to RPM.
Just knew it had to be something with the heads. The place that rebuilt them (out of business now) didn't change freeze plugs, which I found out the first time I started it after changing heads.
Stopped at the local autoparts to get a factory set of heads to work with. Gonna do a new post to ask about that.
Took valve covers off, didn't hear it coming from either side of the heads (found out the oil flows well!). Tried it with each rocker arm and pushrod removed to check individual valves, no change in the tap/knock.
Probably a bearing. It's getting louder.
Gonna try to re-ring and bearing the 351 in the garage this weekend. Gonna really try to scrape up the funds to stroke it, but that probably ain't gonna happen.
Thanks for all the dizzy advice, and, thanks for future advice when I ask stupid questions during the re-ring/rebuild!
Munrow

 

Man, you're having some bad luck with that thing for sure. Does it sound like the lifters are rattling or down deeper than that?
That Sea Foam is supposed to be some good stuff but if the engine was real gummed up maybe it dis-lodged something big enough to clog a oil feed somewhere.
Do you know the history of this engine?
clint

 

Don't know a thing about the vehicle except what I've found out the hard way. The place I bought it from is out of business, same as the place I got the heads re-built. Maybe it had a crap-load more miles on it than the odo said, but when I had it apart to change the heads it didn't look bad, at least to me.
Lifters are new Edelbrocks that came with the 2182 camshaft. New pushrods and rockers, also. Sounds like the tap/knock/clunk is coming from the middle of the engine. Closer to the front than the rear, about where the crank is. I'm already mentally prepared for a swap/rebuild. Just gotta find out what my options are. I REALLY need to be tuning something in the vehicle by Wednesday.

 

oops mine was set to ported (timed) vacuum. Used a port on the front left of the stock holley, near the choke, sorry about that.

 

Well, after looking through the Ford Engine Overhaul manual by Haynes, I've decided that at this time I cannot afford to try rebuilding an engine for this, my work vehicle. Too many aspects that could cause major damage/failure if not done correctly. Don't have the time to do too much back and forth to the auto parts store, either.
Gonna get a partial short block (want to use my cam, timing set, etc) from a local place for $600.00 with core. I'm comfortable/familiar with/have done the things necessary to proceed from this point, except for connecting the tranny. Be a good time to check out clutch plates, etc. Haven't decided if I want to give up the boneyard 351 or the one out of the van. Thinking of the one out of the van because of the rod slap, and would make it easier to start working on when I get the new block.
When I asked what brands of parts they used for the rebuild, without hesitation the guy starts naming names I've heard either here, or on the cable auto programs. Seems like a decent price for a year warranty. I WILL rebuild the other 351 into a 393 within a year, so that seems ok to me at this point.
Of course I'll have a multitude of stupid questions to ask during this. Thanks in advance to all for any help/support,
Munrow

 

Turns out that between work slowdowns and lack of transportation, getting the short block I wanted isn't going to happen. Me and a friend, who is an aviation mechanic and knows a lot about engines, looked at the block of the boneyard engine in the garage. Seemed to have the tiniest ridge at the top of the cylinders so it was decided that I should re-ring and re-bearing it for the swap. Casting # on block says D9OE.
The ridge at the top was all carbon! Same height as the top of the piston to the first ring. When scraping at the head gaskets I gave one of the ridges a little poke. I figured that if I was going to hone them anyway, what's a tiny nick at the top gonna hurt. Stuff started chipping off!
Called the local AdvancedAuotParts, ordered the mains, rod bearings, standard and the next size up piston rings sets, just in case (Haynes says you can file larger rings to fit) , ARP head bolts. Camshaft journals looked absolutely perfect, but will change those bearings, also.
Started honing the cylinders, all the crap at the tops came right off. NO RIDGES, just carbon build-up. Couldn't get a crosshatch effect for anything.
Test fit a ring according to Haynes, HUGE gap in the ring. Ordered the next bigger set of rings than the ones I was waiting for.
Took a piston with old rings with me to pick up ordered parts. Ring set that had arrived was the exact match of the old ones. Turns out they were 30-over rings. I thought some work had to have been done on this 1979 block for the tops of the cylinders to look so good.
Used a crappy little pressure cleaner to clean out every nook and cranny (after soaking in penetrating oil), air compressor-dried, WD-40'd.
Gonna start putting it together after the rod bearings arrive this morning.