Right case cover won't slide back on

[larksnostril]

"81 Special: I removed right cover to fix kicker. Fixed it and did nothing else. Now the case will not go back on. The large gear of the tachometer mechanism (which has been working fine) appears to be impinging against the nut that holds the tachometer drive gear onto the shaft of the oil pump driven gear. I've slowly cranked the kickstarter to rotate the the engine hoping for meshing of gears as I press the case on firmly without effect. It's as if everything shifted potions once the case came off. The case came off without much effort so there must be some secret move I can't figure out. It's all covered up so no dust gets into the works, and after two hours of fiddling with it every which way I can contrive I'm wondering: What's my next move?
Charlie

 

[Seattle51]

Man theres a ton of us from Washington State on this site...

I can't imagine that if the kickstart gear went back in correctly that anything moved around that would cause the case not to go back on. I just pulled that case off yesterday, pulled the kick start shaft out on accident in the process, thought WTF how is this gonna go back in, played with it for an hour, figured it out and it all went back together ok. I'd say, pull the tach spline gear shaft out of the case if you haven't already and start putting the case on from the bottom and then push the top closed. I tried putting it back straight on and seemed easier when starting at the bottom...

hope this helps, and good luck!