Alfa Romeo Repair: Alfa 156 ticking noise, automatic transmission fluid, alfa 156

Question
The car has been running fine (156 V6 24V), then all of a sudden a ticking noise started coming from under the bonnet on the drivers side.

I popped the hood, and it sounds as though it is coming from under the covers of where the pulleys and belts are housed.

Any ideas?

Answer
Diagnosing a noise at a distance is iffy. However, this noise is usually from a sticking hydraulic cam lifter. And this is usually caused by not changing the oil soon enough.  Add a quart of automatic transmission fluid to the oil and drive for about 500 miles and then change the oil.