Rick.Cook23@yahoo.com

I've completely rebuilt my ATW 1.8t - new main bearings, new rod bearings, new rings, etc. Put it all back together and into car - and WITHOUT serpentine belt (and accessories) - the car starts fine. I hear a tick-tick-tick coming from the head - but I think that is oil pressure that needs to build up the lifters. But since I don't have fan/water pump connected - I didn't let it run long (30 seconds or so). Timing all good - multiple checks.

Now, here's the crazy part...
Just as soon as I connect the serp belt - to drive the accessories (alternator, ps pump - water pump) - car won't start. I can leave all parts connected, but just remove the serp belt - car starts right up. But with serp belt - no start. It
cranks, it sputters once or twice, but will not start up.

Two questions:
1. Could a timing issue be the tick-tick-tick that I hear when the car is
running without the serp belt? Could timing be 1 tooth off and still start/run?
2. If timing was off (say, by a single tooth) - but it start without "load" from
serp belt but then would not start with serp belt.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Here's the car...

Rick.Cook23@yahoo.com

For anyone reading along at home...

The problem was timing. Even with the cam and crank marks exactly aligned - the car would start - but would not stay running with a load (i.e., the accessory/serp belt).

The fix? I had watched about a million youtube videos of how to set the timing of a 1.8t motor - but I found one more that showed how to put the belt on:
align timing marks on the cam
align timing marks on the crank (can use mark on sprocket with middle bolt on seal housing)
put timing belt around the bottom of crank pulley first
then up to the intermediate shaft (or water pump depending on what engine you have)
then up to the cam sprocket - may have to back off the crank just a hair, but once it's on, move it forward again
This leaves all the slack on the tensioner side - and that seemed to do the trick.

Oh yeah, the ticking - that was the lifter(s). Once I could start the car normally, I put
the radiator back on it and took it for a short drive (just around the neighborhood a
few blocks). When I got home - ticking was gone and car running smooth as silk.

Mystery solved.