Worrying noise

[Jack4688]

OK I'll try that as soon as I can

[quattrostyle]

Just sounds like noisy tappets to me

Sounds like tappets to me as well. As mentioned an oil flush followed by a new filter and oil will help. Then drive it for a few hundred miles and change the oil and filter again for better oil. This is what I did with one of my cars in the past (1.8 20V cabriolet) after cleaning the oil pick up, oil pan and cam cover on the inside. Oil went to full black again in about 500 km. after the flush.

If your engine is clean inside just an oil and filter change as Alex sugested will do

[audicoupe2.3]

In mine, I always dreamed to one. It sounds cold and when heated is removed, or hit a sprint is also removed he is full of oil. It takes so nine years since I got to know the time and wearing ringing. The noise is annoying, but not worrisome in these cars is a fairly common fault.

[Jack4688]

So I haven't even found the time to do an oil and filter change yet and it's got worse. It now happens from shortly after starting up even when just idling. Enthusiastic use of the throttle makes it hideously apparent now, I even heard it with the windows up and the stereo on on my drive to work this morning.

Is it time for drastic action?

[Vorsprung durch Technik]

One thing for sure Jack i would stop driving it straight away and get some basics checked. It doesn't sound good to me!

[mike74]

Sounds like a tappet or a broken valve spring to me. You haven't buzzed the wrong gear in it lately have you? I would be tempted to pull the cam cover off and have a look inside before doing anything else. Good luck with it though

[Jack4688]

No nothing like that, it first appeared last winter and seemed to go after the service. It's reappeared in the last few weeks and is getting progressively worse

[Fat Audi 80]

If you are lucky it is a sticking tappet. Worse broken valve spring. Worse still bottom end although it does not sound heavy enough for bottom end to me.

Stop driving and get it looked at.

[mike74]

^^agree totally. Whip the cam cover off and have a look inside. I'm fairly certain the problem is in the head somewhere (sounds like top end anyway)
My old VR4 used to clatter its head off if it didn't like the oil that was in it or, the oil needed changed almost as bad as in your video. Hopefully a good flush and decent quality oil will fix it...hopefully...

[Error404]

Take the valve cover off and have a good poke about. You will quickly be able to find a faulty tappet or broken valve spring.
I would also drop the oil & filter and change them ASAP. You can cut the filter open to check for metal fragments in it, this is a really easy way to tell if something bad is happening.

[Fat Audi 80]

I would try using a good quality engine oil flush too. Usually you add it to the oil and the run at 2000rpm for 10 minutes. Then change oil and filter.

[Jack4688]

I think I've found the culprit. I have no idea what the (broken) plastic do-dah is that is underneath the oil filler cap so forgive my ignorance when I ask can I put everything back on without the broken plastic thing?

It seems likely that if that were rattling about on the cams then it could easily make a tappetey noise...

[willg54]

just a splash guard so if you take the oil filler cap off when it's running it won't cover you in oil

[Error404]

Yes its the oil splash shield - its not necessary. You can bin it, but first have a look and try and piece it back together. If there are any missing pieces they will be in your oil system. If there looks to be bits missing or ground away I would drop the sump and check it, and clean out the oil pick-up as a precaution.

HTH

[K Simmonds]

Don't bother with the plastic thing, it's there purely to stop you getting a face full of oil if you take the filler cap off with the engine running. You may find filler cap then leaks a little but new one off eBay for a fiver will cure that.

I'd be more concerned about where the bit's of it have gone, can most of it be accounted for?