How can you find out if a vehicle has a timing chain or belt?

How can you find out if a vehicle has a timing chain or belt?
Look at the engine. If it has a tin-plate or plastic belt cover at one end then it is timing belt. If it doesn't it is probably chain. But some new engines such as Ford's 1.0 EcoBoost has belt in oil (no trouble reported yet) and PSA's PureTech has a dry belt buried inside the engine. Confusingly, some engines such as PSA 2.2 diesel has a timing belt with a chain joining the two camshafts so just looking under the oil cap for a chain can be deceptive.
Answered by Honest John on

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