Hey everyone, so the past two weeks my 1998 tip quattro A4 has developed a ticking noise.

This ticking sounds like a literal bomb and as I drive, it sounds like I'm driving a diesel VW Klein bus ... I would like to think it's a cam tensioner/ maybe my oil pressure.

I don't run my car hard, though am aware the B5 1.8T A4s are prone to oil sludge, so I picked up some seaform and hope that, a oil change, and a new oil pan should fix this issue. I've searched about this and strongly believe something I mentioned above is the culprit.

I'm trying to be as detailed as I can so this problem can hopefully be pin-pointed. What do you suspect???

 

Update*

I swung by my mechanics and let him take a listen, he figures it's the cam tensioner. Although, I added some more oil to my car and the sound has disappeared, or at least dulled down a bunch, so I'm a little thrown off by that.

Luckily, I'm about to get the timing belt (and all the pulleys, pumps, tensioners, other belts and the thermostat) replaced, so here's hoping that it's indeed the cam tensioner or a oil pressure related issue! (I'm going to replace the cam chain tensioner gasket for safe measure as well!)