Well, once I got the right tool and soaked the nuts in PB Blaster, it went really well. Don't know what happened, but as I was taking one of the bolts off, something popped. I looked in with a flashlight and it looked like something had shifted in the gap. So I tightened everything back up really good and it fits perfect now. Nothing is loose and you can't see the gap anymore. So, I don't know if the puck/gasket shifting into place or what.
Thanks for all the help and advice, it just took pulling out my radiator reservoir and washer fluid tank to get in there with an angle ratchet to lock it all down. The PO had the reservoir and tank really rigged in there, so I bought the right bolts and locked that all down as well.
Now I have to get my heater box finished up and back in the Jeep, along with resealing the valve cover to stop its slow leak. I guess it wouldn't be a Jeep if there wasn't still something on the To Do list.
