Steve,
The noise went away. The engine had sat for a long time in the box. Maybe 3 years before I pulled it out to try it at the end of last year. Then it sat again all winter. Could just be excess gunk in the low end. At any rate, it seems fine now. The bearing always felt free, it was just the noise. I noted that the slight change in venturi and a filter seems to have had a large change in fuel mileage. At any rate, we are flying tomorrow at the Narrows, weather permitting, and I'll get a chance to do some more experimentation. Sure like the power output.
BTW, the primer is almost sanded. One wing surface and the open bays on one other then I can clean up the foot of dust on the shop floor, wipe down and shoot a clear seal coat. Hope to shoot some base color tomorrow.