RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

I havnt needed an oil change since I bought the car, and the only info I could find on the maintenance records was that it was last filled with mobile 1, but I don't know the viscocity. But, if it is the lifter, the ticking would increase in speed and get louder as the rpm's rise? Also, is this bad for the engine, should I change the oil, what viscosity? Thanks for your help.
Jordan

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

my car was doing that same thing and I checked the oil and it was barely nothing in it so I changed the oil and it never did it again so please check your oil asap before you damage the engine

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

Is the ticking sound coming from the intake side, like right near the intake? Does it always make the sound or just sometimes?

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

The oil level is full, just checked it, but I don't know the viscosity. The sound is coming from the opposite side of the air intake. And it always does it, at least for the past couple days from when I first noticed it. Does that sound like lifter stuff or something else?

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

It does just sound like lifter ticking. Just change your oil, that will more than likely fix the problem. If not, then move onto another idea. It's how you fix a car, trial and error.

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

change the oil and filter, mine did the same thing but after I changed the oil it stopped and drove better

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

Any recommendation for oil and filter?

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

I used full synthetic 10w 30, but I don't know if that was the correct gradel to use but I know your supposed synthetic oil

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

If it's had semi in it which is what audi put in i wouldn't switch to fully synth, you get more problems with blocked pipes as the fully synth cleans the inside of the engine. I'd run a 10-40w semi synth.

Is the tapping more of a chatter? does it do it at start up? and does it get worse after a long run when the engine is very hot?

RE: ticking sound in the engine bay- please tell me this isn't necessarily horrible
 

Ah just listened to your clip, sounds like chain chatter, tensioner leak. See my post here https://www.audiforums.com/m_42314/tm.htm