Anything special about the 12 point bolts for the timing gear?

[IDIBRONCO]

the driving gear has a steel dowel right into the pump drive and 3 of these hardened suckers to hold it into place.

I may be wrong, but I think that the dowel is mostly for alignment purposes so that the pump will be somewhat close to being in time when installed.

 

[Rattlenbang]

Sure, but it still functions to hold it in place. When I shut off the engine and removed the cover, all 3 bolts had fallen out yet the drive gear was still firmly in place.

 

[Thewespaul]

That’s because the timing cover itself is holding it in place, the gear physically cannot skip a tooth or come off the cam gear with it bolted on. The three bolts are to attach the gear to the drive and minimize thrust force on the pump.