Need help determining a noise coming from what sounds like the engine. Just started within the last 2 oil changes. Noise is pretty quiet hardly noticeable with the hood closed cold at idle in park. Noise gets a bit louder when you put it in gear(a4) cold at idle and stay about the same volume up until around 2k-2.5k rpms and you stop hearing it. Once the car's oil temp is up to about 180+(according to DIC) you dont really hear the noise again until it has cooled down and cold start it again. Here are some videos i took from the passenger side engine compartment. Noise sounds different in person but hopefully someone might have an idea as to what it is. I have heard plenty of SBC style motors and 4.3 v6's with rod knock and they sound different. Im not sure what the early sounds of a rod knock sound like. I have a lifter tick on my 03 silverado and it doesnt sound the same either. Car is a 05 a4 base coupe with around 118k on it. Dealer I got it from had to replace the trans a couple weeks after I got the car due to it starting to slip. Its been about a year and a half since I got the car but only a few thousand miles, is it possible something could have loosened up in the torque tube and im just hearing the noise up from? *EDIT* After listening to these on my pc with head phones the third video is about the only video you can really hear it in. On my phone you can hear it on all three

Video #1 Cold start In park at idle.

Video #2 Still cold in reverse Idle-1k rpm

Video#3 Warmed up not driven about 170 degree oil idle in park(in person the noise is almost completely gone.

 

Sounds to quite to me....I'm comparing it to my 08 LS3.

 

LS piston slap.

 

I was thinking it could be but its also really quiet and ive never heard piston slap that quiet. Noise is just trippin me out, if it is a bearing i want to take care of if before doing any other damage.

 

check your belt or pull it off see if it goes away

sounds like tensioner or ac pulley bearings if you are talking about the slight squeak. Hopefully not the balancer.

the sound is coming from rotational mechanics as you can hear it peak at different times.

 

Balancer has been replaced and everything else seems fine it sounds like the rear of the engine

 

so take the belt off to confirm is my best advice then you will know its not apart of the belt system. Sounds like mine when it rains.

How long ago was the balancer work done and do you know if the correct procedure was used?