Front end play mystery -bad flywheel
 

This one took me a bit to figure out, so I figured I'd document it as I couldn't find any info on it here while searching...
Seems like it is possible to over-torque that flywheel nut.

And if you do, it can throw off the e-shaft end play.

Putting the engine back together, I tried the largest end-play spacer I could get and still couldn't keep the front counter-weight from contacting the needle-bearing that sits on the thrust plate when hand-tightening the hub bolt.

I must've put the front of the engine together 5 or 6 times.

When I finally decided to inspect the flywheel, I saw that there was an indentation where it contacts the rear gear. The indentation was just enough to screw up the end play.

A new (used, undamaged) flywheel fixed it.