Have an 01 1.8 turbo with 150K on the clock. Yesterday it started to make a noise that sounds like a diesel has been dropped in under the hood. Makes this noise at idle and just off idle. Doesn't get worse under load and stops at about 2500 revs. Makes a racket on decel tho. Put it in the air and did the screw driver to the ear trick to pinpoint where it might be coming from. Sounds almost like it may be the AC pump. Def not a crank bearing which was my first panic thought. Wondering if anyone has ever had this sound and might help out. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

Cam chain tensioner. My old 01 1.8t had the same issue, diesel sound at idle none under load. Sucks since the 01s have vvt the tensioner is much more expensive than earlier years.

 

So lets start by saying...This is my sons car. We changed the cam chain tensioner this past weekend and no change. Still sounds awful. Here's a couple of quick vids.First one at idle cold and second warmed up revved to 2K rpm




This motor has been run 2 quarts down at least twice that I know of. Would stuck lifters sound like this? The cam bearings all look fine. Cam lobes as well. Car runs fine, just sounds like its gonna beat itself to death.

 

jeeze. That sounds...really throaty? It pops, but it idles? And it does this on Decel???...hmmm becuase of the pop and how loud it sounds, It seems that an exhaust issue is present. Are there any really black spots around the manifold or down the tube?? Any codes being thrown?

 

Don't have access to Vag-Com right now. No CEL or anything. Want to check oil pressure next. No black spots around the exhaust.

 

Just thought I'd update this. Had a clutch put in about 3 weeks before it started making this noise. Turns out the flywheel loosened up and that's what the noise was. Shop that did the clutch R&R'd the tranny and fixed the flywheel. Seems fine now.