Head is at the machine shop, a few exhaust valves are not seating uniformly, stem seals are not great and one guide is a little tiny bit loose (but not bad).

Hot tank, magnaflux then make the call on re-using this 331 or taking a trip to Pick n Pull for a TUPY from an 02+ grand. Will be less than $300 at the shop for the head ($150 at the low end).
So with:
Lifter $6
Seal kit $120
Oil n cleaners n stuff $40

Not too bad assuming this is all that needs to be fixed to get her running.

 

Not bad at all, compared to the feeling you must've had when you realized you had zero compression on one of your cylinders...

 

So head has the dreaded 331 crack
Now to pnp or buy one?

Anyone gotten a rebuild for this year that wasn't a tupy?
Any way to guarantee the toy from a given vendor?

 

Ok update time
Ordered a new head from Clearwater cylinder head in FL. Also known as Odessa.
455 all in. Came on Tuesday, then the weather turned rainy, so just got to it today.
All is going ok, except for one exhaust manifold bolt. Had to jack up the header to get the bolt in, and yes it was one under and in the middle. It started ok but then popped when went to put it in to snug. Tight..
Pain and anguish for about 45 mins. I didn't like loosening all the other bolts and moving the manifolds on the new gasket, but had no choice. If it leaks I'll replace it.
All is torqued and set, just need to do a final tighten on the thermo housing, a few elec connections, add some coolant and get the air box to put back in.
Should be purring tomorrow, I hope.

Any advice on breakin for a new head?

 

So got it back together
Runs great....

But the oil pressure is very low, looks like it might need some bearing work or the full rebuild unhappy about that, but knew it was possible when I bought it.

 

Put a half of can of seafoam in the engine oil, 500 miles, do oil change with Bosch filter and add 1 can of 6cylinder Restore. Has helped all my low oil pressure problems.

 

Thanks.
Here is the full details:
Replaced four lifters during the head swap. The ones for #3 and #4 were all a little sticky, one was jammed as previously shown. The others were very hard to disassemble for cleaning so I just bought new ones.
Cleaned and primed all of them prior to assembly into the block.
Poured some new oil on top of the rockers (which were cleaned prior to reinstallation).
Cranked the engine without coil pack or injector electrical connections for 10 - 15 seconds. Did this four or five times to help prime the oil passages.
Reconnected the coil and injectors, turned over and fired right up, ran well.
Oil pressure was 50psi on the dash gauge.
Oil looked a little iffy so I changed it with plain ol 10-30w and half a can of seamfoam with the expectation of changing it a couple times reasoanbly soon with one more seafoam treatment. Say once after 200 miles, then again after 500 miles.
The oil coming onto the top of the rockers (visible thru the valve cover) looked better but still a little ugly. So I think the oil change idea is not wrong.

After the oil change we took her for a drive, the OP was around 20 - 30 at first and when it got fully warmed up the pressure dropped and the check gauges light came on. Argh!

So I need to decide to run as is, or rebuild before something goes pop on a lonely stretch of highway at night in the rain.