just want to report that i have completed replacing the front bearing on the air/smog pump. I got the bearing from bearingsdirect.com as recommended.
thx to JP Rodkey and Bruno Mueller for sharing their experiences on the same DIY. The hardest part for me was torquing the nut to spec as it was hard to leverage with only an allen as counter. I used a special socket for an oxygen sensor ( has a cutout for the allen counter). my car is back to normal.