Hi Anthony489
I agree completely, why make something so bloody complicated in the first place - the mind boggles, as to the SOHC, just to make it more complicated it is actually a DOHC with the second camshaft run off the first via a chain at the rear of the engine!
Which is exactly why when we decided back in 2016 to upgrade our X244 Motorhome to an X290 it was to be the 3.0 or nothing, we got 1 of the last 3.0 litre Ducatos our Motorhome manufacturer had left.
The thought of having to change that belt every 5 years put me off the 2.3 engine that they now only use for what ever reason I don't know, maybe to standardise parts. I was under the impression that timing belts were on the way out, most Japanese manufactures have gone to chains.
At first I thought it was maybe the 3.0 wouldn't pass emission levels but that is obviously not the case as Iveco have at least 3 versions of the 3.0 including a twin turbo in their latest Dailys?
Cheers