PROBLEM SOLVED
I drove to a local parts store (Lordco Auto Parts) this morning hoping to buy a die to clean up the oil cooler stud thread for the oil filter. Did not have one large enough. Was recommended to see a machine shop in town on Monday. Messaged a friend who lives in this village asking him about the place. Friend responded with the suggestion that I clean up the threads with a file and an exacto knife. I used a small triangle file, an exacto knife and the nail file from a nail clipper. Worked! Not 100% perfect but I could easily thread on the oil filter without any noticeable resistance. Re-installed the oil cooler stud, torqued to spec (35 ft. lb), attached the oil filter, hand tightened (2/3 beyond contact according to the FSM), filled up with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W30, started the engine and voila! no Noah's flood of motor oil on the garage floor because when I did this last Friday, I met resistance and failed to see the gap between the oil filter and cooler. (Took me 3 hours plus to clean up the mess.
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All is well that ends well.
