Worrying noise

[Jack4688]

Can anybody identify this noise coming from my engine?

http://youtu.be/1spAkxv4Lms?list=UU9t5aZ8t4KB537060AS-Dug

It happens now whenever I use more than about 50-75% throttle for pretty much any amount of time. It happened a lot less often a few months ago when I had the car serviced and my mechanic said it isn't worth worrying about (yet).

After idling it settles back down in a couple minutes, though this morning I parked in Tesco with it rattling and then a few minutes later when I came back and started the car it was still rattling...

Thanks in advance

[Vorsprung durch Technik]

It sounds like a tappet is noisy.

[Jack4688]

Yeah that's what it sounds like to me, I just don't to be complacent and have something major go wrong

[Vorsprung durch Technik]

It's a little worrying though when you say it comes in around 50-75% throttle travel as normally with higher revs oil pressure rises and cancels out a iffy tappet. Hope it's nothing worse!

[willg54]

did you have an oil change at the garage? what oil did they put back in?

[willg54]

also use a screw driver to your ear to see if you can pin point the source. is it all cyls or just 1?

[s2driveruk]

also check the level too, if the oil is a little low they can be noisy

[K Simmonds]

from the speed of the noise I would 100% say it's something on the valve train, most likely a lifter but as Mark says it's odd that it come's on at higher rev's it's normally the other way around.

[SteveH]

Check your oil level first before doing anything else as David mentioned. Rule that out first.

[martinws]

As above regards to oil level. A pair of ear defenders and a hard plastic screwdriver held against one ear and the engine help to pinpoint ticking noises.

[Jack4688]

Oil level is fine, I checked that when this noise first occurred in December and again two days ago as it's starting to become really noticeable now. Level was my first thought as my old Alfa 147 used to sound like that every half hour

I'll try the screwdriver trick first and see what I get, thanks chaps

[Jack4688]

Had a listen this morning and it seems like it's coming from the general area rather than one on it's own. In the mean time I've been driving like an old man because it flares up at the mere suggestion of enthusiastic driving

[220bhp]

Without wanting to cause you unnecessary worry it could also be a failed bearing.
I had this self same problem a few years ago. Audi took the cam cover of and found one of the tappets had collapsed. this was replaced but it made no difference. Then the head came of. when I put my fingers on top of each piston to check for movement, I found that the rear piston at the flywheel end dropped down a few mm. It turned out to be a bearing failure. the collapsed tappet was caused by reduce oil pressure. I did not think at the time to look at the oil pressure gauge as I was focused on the noise from the engine

[willg54]

Doesnt sound like bottom end, too high a frequency. Could very well be wrong

[Mikes2]

could be oil starvation which will likely be a pick up pipe partially blocked or a bad oil pump. Had this on a quattro and the oil light would sometimes flicker under hard acceleration and the tappets would clatter just like that. After slowing down or idling, the tappet noise would go back to normal.

For tappets, the normal fix is to run the car at 2500rpm for 2 minutes. It should clear.