issues replacing timing chain set

I could only find grade 8 at the NAPA store for 3/4"x16 tpi; hope your search is easier. But they are part of the tool box now.

If you are talking about the thin steel ring between balancer and crank sprocket, that is the oil slinger that keeps excess oil from running out on the crank snout and making life harder for the seal. It needs to be installed with the bent lip facing to the front; if not, then I'd remove the cover and flip it to the proper orientation.

Also, did you get the timing cover aligned on the 2 small dowels down at the bottom at each side? If you did not remove the oil pan, then it is sometimes hard to get the bottom cover-to-pan gasket to compress so that the cover slips onto these dowels. (I use small vice grips to the compress the cover to pan gasket a bit while moving it into place.) Also, the seal needs to line up very well centered in the hole or it will leak, sometimes the cover needs to be shifted to do this. Oil the seal, and smooth the seal surface on the damper shoulder where it rides on the seal with some fine sandpaper or emery cloth.

BTW, let us know how the engine runs after the new chain. They will stretch and it is easy to get the cam retarded 4 degree or more (just at the service limit), which is a lot of cam retard. I suspect yours was really stretched. It ought to make a dramatic improvement in off-idle response and general driveability.