s3 rattle on engine

Hi all,
My S3 (2002 with 82k) has a strange fault which i cant sus out. I start the car from cold and it sounds fine, as the engine warms a rattle or metallic sounding vibration starts to appear between about 1500-2000 RPM and it sounds as though its coming from or near the top of the engine at the cam belt end the warmer the engine gets the noisier it gets. Rev past 2000 RPM and it clears, let the revs drop to tickover and again it clears. I dont know much about these engines, does anyone have any ideas or know of common faults like this?:1zhelp:
regards
Rogs

Yea, that’s a 20 valve for you, loads of moving parts, like 20 valves for example! Also the tensioners can make a bit of a noise (a sort of rumble/rattle) even if brand new, mine only started making a noise after I had the belt and pulleys done and it’s worse when it warm. At the end of the day they’re built like tanks and often sound like tanks!

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Originally Posted by A3.20vt

Yea, that’s a 20 valve for you, loads of moving parts, like 20 valves for example! Also the tensioners can make a bit of a noise (a sort of rumble/rattle) even if brand new, mine only started making a noise after I had the belt and pulleys done and it’s worse when it warm. At the end of the day they’re built like tanks and often sound like tanks!

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Hi A3.20vt Thanks for your reply, when you say belt was it the cam belt you had done and does yours rattle all the time or just at certain revs like mine does?

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Originally Posted by rogs

Hi A3.20vt Thanks for your reply, when you say belt was it the cam belt you had done and does yours rattle all the time or just at certain revs like mine does?

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Yep, Mine sounds the same too, and has done since I had it (granted not very long at about 2 years) but its not getting worse, and several audi experts have heard it.
:beerchug:

Ive took the cam belt cover off and can now see the noise is coming from the tensioner/ shock absorber that keeps the tension on the belt. Im getting it all replaced as well as the water pump to be on the safe side. :D

Sounds like the timing chain tensioner. Had mine done about 16 months ago at Audi for around 1K (gulp...)

just an update, ive had the work done now and the rattle has gone and the car runs as sweet as a nut. It was the damper at fault which keeps the tensioner against the belt, it had gone soft, i could compress it with my fingers and the garage said you shold not be able to do that. So ive had cambelt kit (belt, tensioner-roller), damper and water pump.:D