Engine noise!?

Hi VW-ler! I’m not so often in this area of motor talk, but I need your help now. For some time now, my wife’s polo has given me strange noises: when the engine is cold, there’s a “cracking” noise when it comes to acceleration. After about 10 – 15 km there’s nothing to hear and when the engine is cold, there’s only an acceleration. Could it be a “ventilary rattle” and why didn’t it happen before? Does that have anything to do with the knock sensor – if the one in the vehicle at all is there? (defect?) Can the engine damage it? The polo is a 1.0l bj 10/2000 (previous model of the current polo), normal lead-free maybe someone has a clue Chiao trave