2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

That's really interesting. I hadn't seen a balance shaft mounted like that before. Must admit I'm struggling to visualise how there's space for one inside the block. Don't suppose you've seen any real life pictures?

Not in real life Tom.

29 minutes ago, Tizer said:

Not in real life Tom.

No problem. I have worked it out now from ebay adverts and that strip-down video. Also learned what a 'scissor gear' was, something else I'd never come across before. 🙂

2 hours ago, Tizer said:

My understanding was that it was only the early 1.5 Engines that had a Tensioner for the Oil Pump Belt, and the old Auto 1.0 Engines.

I'm with you on the early 1.0 autos with torque converter boxes.

But on the 1.5 - the early ones have gear driven oil pumps, so no tensioner. And it looks as if the later ones with belt driven pumps don't have one either from what we've seen. or have I missed something?

Balance shaft wise, it seems all 1.5s have one, as shown in the US video**. On the revised 1.0 engine, the balancer, from parts I've seen on Ebay, is a seperate module.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Also learned what a 'scissor gear' was, something else I'd never come across before. 🙂

Lol, that one had me doing a quick search as well!

Incidentally, I found the thread I referred to on the Fiesta ST forum which has some illustrations of interest. (Also the odd comment by others who have been given the wrong info by garages!)

https://www.fiestastoc.com/threads/timing-belts-in-oil-future-problems.326929/#replies

(** On later engines. The gear driven pump versions still have a balance shaft, but a different arrangement, as referenced in the FiestaSTOC thread linked above.)

1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

But on the 1.5 - the early ones have gear driven oil pumps, so no tensioner. And it looks as if the later ones with belt driven pumps don't have one either from what we've seen. or have I missed something?

I think the Tensioner is only on the ones with the different Balance Shaft because they had to have a different Drive for the Oil Pump.

I may be wrong.

In the final analysis/at the end of the day/insert favourite cliche😀 we can't really know for sure unless we can get a clear diagram/shot/video, as we discussed earlier regarding the revised 1.0.

The earliest 1.5s are now coming up to 8 years old so I guess more cautious owners will be considering having the oil pump belt changed. Perhaps a bit more info may hopefully emerge as a result.

Apologies, btw, to @alfieuk for going off the topic, though the diversion was related.

Back to the original point. We still don't know for sure whether or not the DCT autos have the belt tensioner which caused issues with the old version of the 1.0 ecoboost.

With regard to the engine itself, the Ford recommended service interval of 18,000 miles/2 years is widely regarded as inadequate for cars covering low mileage, as Ford themselves comment (tucked away in the service portfolio).

If "FSH" in this case means it's had one service at 2 years I would be inclined to pass on this one. If you do proceed, I would be asking for a full service now and moving to at least annual oil/filter changes in future.