'01 S4 Kid

I just got back from a family vacation (obx) for 2 weeks. My sister (I am 17, the sister is 20, my dad is the S8 driver) stayed home for the first week. My dad gets his key out from hiding, unlocks the '8, and as he opens the door the seat is sliding back to his position.... uh oh. He wrote the mileage down before leaving just for the hey of it, and what do you know the car has 200 more miles than before.
My dad starts the car, and the thing sounds like a busted p0s. Some sort of rapid TAP-tap TAP-tap from the engine. It "runs" fine aside from this noise, and we are hoping it isn't anything serious. The only other thing I've heard similar was a valve tap coming from a friends 92 maxima.
Needless to say my dad is beyond pissed, and that's about the biggest understatement of my life. Any ideas on what this may be? Next scheduled maintenance is we think 48k, the car has about 40k miles. If there are issues it will go into the dealer. Thanks for reading this rant, I had to tell someone.

GDJT Allroad^2

it was sitting for a while and may be low on oil, too; sitting for so long a the oil will slide down out of the heads and into the pan; after starting and being sucked through the oil pump it will re-oil the cams and the ticking should go away... if that's what the problem is. I've heard that kind of noise if my A8 is low on oil.

tozoM8

Borrow a compression tester and check the compression. You can blow compressed air into the combustion chamber trough the sparkplug hole and check if it holds pressure when the valves are close. I know it has low mileage, but sh*t happens. I just had a same problem with my wife's Audi. The timing belt jumped after 3 weeks sitting. It has 110K with the original belt ( I think). I have a few bent valve.

PaulW

....I don't think you could beat on it and cause damage to the motor.

Sounds like the lifters.....check the oil level and let it run for a heat cycle.

'01 S4 Kid

It only sat for a week but I'll check the oil.

-OvO-

If it sounds like valve tap, that's probably what it is -- hydraulic lifters on any car will be a little sticky after sitting for a few weeks (you said it was a two-week vacation - then you said that the car only sat for a week so I'm confused).

The noise should go away once the oil pressure comes up.

If your sister likes to drive '8s, I might let her drive mine. But only if she's cute -- is she?

Acceler8

who took out the car if you were all on vacation?

'01 S4 Kid

My sister was home for the first week, home alone. She took it out.

'01 S4 Kid

She was apparently driving it for that first week, so it doesn't really count towards sitting time. Thus, the car "sat" for a week.
haha so funny that you said '8 - I always joke w/friends and call it the '8 (pronounced "apostrophe eight").