Should 348 owners be concerned about this...

It is something you should probably investigate while the engine is out Troy!!

Have a look in Rick's thread. He replaced his and it may give you some tips incase you need to do yours.

Ricambi sells everything you need to do the job.

 

Is that the oil pump bearing? YES, you should be EXTREMELY cognizant of the upgrade.

I would also STRONGLY STRONGLY STRONGLY advise you to inspect the condition of your lower belt gear (the single gear at the bottom of the belt path) which has pressed fences.

 

What TSB? Nothing came up except a log in page.

 

Speaking from experience, replace or be ready for a whole lot of $$$ pain later. Unfortunately, the tensioner design isn't changed so it still suxx!

 

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261292

 

If you don't replace this every major, you're just asking for trouble. and the water pump.

Art

 

Thanks Daniel. Now I've got one more thing to worry about.
Hopefully I fall out of the VIN group or my mechanic took care of it during the last service.

 

Mine had been addressed, the problem is not only related to a noisy bearing (noted in the bulletin) but the chain TENSIONER which is poorly designed and may fail as the delrin block wears down. My car had higher miles so I may be a smart thing to check (need to drop the oil pan which is quite simple and can be done in situ) as you plan a major. Daniel lost a few valves b/c a timing pulley fence splitting... quite a carnage, mine was internal with oil unions getting decapitated try replacing them w/out taking the crank out!!

 

I did mine when the car was with the PO during the last engine-out service. As Frenchie pointed out, this bearing TSB INCLUDES the upgrades to the plastic rub block/oil pump drive...

 

I had the new style bearing, but old style chain tensioners. I replaced them all to be safe. I wouldn't take a chance on them, Troy!

 

You must have the hands of a surgeon ! Or a damn good set of chopsticks.

 

Yes Grasshopper definitely one of the more memorable moments of my life!

 

Oil pump is via the front cover.

Lower driven gear is also at the front of the engine (obviously!). NEVER try to remove that gear with any sort of pry device; you will massively weaken the outer fences. Once you have it removed, inspect the fence condition carefully, and regardless of what you think you see, or what you read on the internet, or 'believe' to be the existence of God, you better f&*ing TIG weld that fence onto the gear. Three little blobs outta do it.

Think I'm full of B.S.? Look at the picture below. Gear with a missing fence, and the nasty end-result.

Here is my son's college eduction:
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Aren't those suppose to be straight? Wait, it's one of those optical illusion thingies...

 

The upper cam gears are not the known problem. The lower driven gear is the known weak spot.

I cannot comment/recommend anything with regard to the upper gears. Let one of the professional techs on the board comment more appropriately.

 

Dan, did you have a special "30-valve" engine in your car?

 

No.. the missing 2 valves were used in our photo shoot for the advert we ran over the summer. The photographer still has them, I think.
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Now there's some truth in advertising!

 

that timing gear fence, i just had the original one tack welded.
you'll hear me if that mod doesn't work....

 

Yeah, you wouldnt think it would fail after that!