Well 'twas ever thus. Even the 70’s Ford Essex with a dirty great timing wheel had the same problems. Teeth would strip, valves met pistons and the cash registers started to go 'ting'. The one piece steel replacements make it sound like a jet engine until it beds in.
Slant 4 in my Magnum avoids this with recessed valves. The timing belt went on it once. Just a case of retiming it and popping a new one on.