ICQ>

When someone says ticking and a B234F I gotta wonder if it's the hydraulic lifters. Your symptoms don't really add up to that as they usually tick for a few moments until they're pumped back up and this usually only when the car hasn't been driven for awhile. I don't know much about bad or stuck lifters behaving like you described. Have the oil and filter been religiously changed?

I'm also wondering if it's got something to do with your alternator as you're apparently having no luck isolating it using the stethoscope approach. On the B234F, the alternator is up high on the driver side and noises coming from there can easily be mistaken for engine noises. Put a chaulk mark on the belt and see if the ticking is in synch with that. Spray a little water on the belts while it's running. If the ticking changes you know you're on the right track. Inspect the pulleys and belts thoroughly and replace if there's any sign of damage (frays/nicks/opening seam). Maybe re-tensioning the belt will make a difference (not too snug now or you'll prematurely wear out that expensive 16-valve-only alt).

Of course, if you're only hearing it while driving, don't forget silly things like a stone in a tire tread, a beer cap stuck behind a wheel cover or something on the hub hitting the ABS sensor or a brake line.