OH, I WISHsomeone could identify the cause of this problem. Here's the story: 2002 TT 1.8 Turbo 20V Quattro roadster 6-speed.January, 2007, 50k miles--when the engine is started from cold (first thing in the morning), and after it idles (1,200 rpm) for about 2 minutes, a click, click, click noise arisesfrom the front of the engine (passenger's side of car) and the clicks are happening about once every second. If you wait a few minutes for the engine to warm up (idle drops to 900 rpm) the clicking slows to about once per second. If you drive the car about a mile, the clicking is gone. If you start the car every few hours during the day, no clicking. But keep reading, there's more ...

I took the car to the dealer (Roger Jobs in Bellingham, Washington); they thought it was the serpentine belt and replaced the belt, but the noise was still there. June, 2007: car in for oil change; I told the service rep that the noise was still occurring; they couldn't find problem. October, 2007: I left the car with the dealer for 3 days. They took a lot of stuff off the front of the engine, including the timing belt cover, but were unable to find the problem.

NOVEMBER, 2007, 65k miles: a few NEW DEVELOPMENTS: after starting the car cold in the mornings, the clicking arises in about 30 seconds (you no longer have to wait a couple minutes), and the clicking is now at rate of about 3 or 4 times per second, and sounds more like ... click CLICK click ...click CLICK click ... click CLICK click ... In a few minutes the engine warms up, the rpm dropsfrom 1,200 to 900, and therate of clicking slows. If you drive a couple miles, the noise is gone. If you park the car and start it again 3 or 4 hours later, no noise. If you park the car at 8 a.m. and start it again at 4 p.m. (the engine is cold) you will get the noise.

One theory being discussed is timing belt problems, but why would the noise require time (30 seconds) to appear, and why would noise go away after driving a mile or two? Another theory is sludge build up in the 1.8 20V turbo engine. The dealer wants to try engine flush. Another theory is faulty pressure check valve.

DOES ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS? CAN ANYONE DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM?

Please post here, or send e-mail to gregorywrites@yahoo.com

OH, PUH-LEEEEZ !!!

Greg
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Thanks for your reply.

If I wait for the clicking to arise (begin) after starting from cold engine (about 30 seconds) and then I step lightly on the gas, increasing rpm from, say, 1,200 to 2,000 or 2,500, the clicking seems to go away while I hold at the higher rpm. That may be, however, because clicking is drowned out by increased engine noise; I'm not sure. If I hold at higher rpm for, say, 10 seconds, and then let off the gas, the rpm returns to 1,200 and the clicking is still there. If I wait three or four minutes and the rpm drops to 900 (engine has warmed up) the clicking slows. If I drive the car a couple of miles, and then sit at idle, the clicking is gone.

By the way, the clicking is loud enough to be heard from inside the car with windows closed, while I sit at idle in my car port after early morning start. If you're outside the car, you can hear it clearly without raising the hood. Clicking really seems to be coming from front of engine (passenger side of car) and perhaps - maybe -from an area more to the left side of engine (closest to front of car). No warnings or messages appear on dash display.

Theories? Ideas?

thanks,
Greg
gregorywrites@yahoo.com

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I'd start locating the source area of the noise.
Open the hood and listen...
Play with the rpms.

Any DTC ?

Dobby

 

You can also remove the serpentine belt to help isolate the noise. If it goes away with the belt off then one of the accesorys is the culprit. If it remains you have a problem with one of the items driven by the timing belt or an engine problem.