the actual term that ford uses is "swedging". The cam sprocket is actually pressed onto the cam(interference fit). eventually it will work its way loose. Fords fix for this, is to fill the seam with loctite. A much better fix is to have them spot welded, or pinned. The 3.4liter is actually one of the smoothest engines ford ever built(or should i say yamaha who assembled it, though ford designed it) The third gen sho's also have one of the quickest, smoothest shifting trannies. It be a good race, but im giving the edge to the mark 8. Off the line the sho's geared better, but i think once 50 mph comes the mark will charge past it.(thanks to better gearing, and bigger lungs) i had a 97 sho that i miss, and i own a 98 mark 8.