And that’s good to know about the bottom timing gear, wouldn’t think that it’d be that hard to remove with the proper puller.
The bottom pulley requires a very robust puller and because of the lack of room around it, a specific puller (as per the service manual) is best. The timing chains on these engines seem to be worn out when they are brand new (quite sloppy). In speaking with John Edwards (Chrysler/FIAT Engine builder), the crank and cam move away from each other at operating temperatures on these engines and the chain gets properly snug.