It's finished!

[dtrumbo]

The paper gaskets you mention are not the head gaskets I am talking about (and I meant thousandths of an inch when I said mm, got metrics on the brain at work). . The head gaskets were thicker. You will see them in many engine rebuild gasket sets still. I measured mine (didn't install them when I did my engine), and they were 0.030" or so.

When I said "paper" I meant they were that thin. I did see these metal gaskets in my gasket set and they were even thinner than the .020" shims I ended up using.

The barrel shim would be to set the deck height. Factors in the deck height are piston shape (dished?), and the volume the cylinder heads add to the combustion chamber. He knows what he is adding, and the shims are probably to compensate. Either that, or he has a bunch he wants to get rid of

Completely in agreement here which furthers my point. How would Adrian know if your pistons were dished and if so how much? In addition, what if your case had been machined (I believe the term is "decked" but I'm not sure). There is NO way to know what thickness shim a builder will need unless you measure all the variables yourself. I'm thinking your second possibility is more likely.

Enough about gaskets, nice work on that engine!

Thank you sir! Just in time for camping season!

[Amskeptic]

The paper gaskets you mention are not the head gaskets I am talking about (and I meant thousandths of an inch when I said mm, got metrics on the brain at work). . The head gaskets were thicker. You will see them in many engine rebuild gasket sets still. I measured mine (didn't install them when I did my engine), and they were 0.030" or so.

When I said "paper" I meant they were that thin. I did see these metal gaskets in my gasket set and they were even thinner than the .020" shims I ended up using.

The barrel shim would be to set the deck height. Factors in the deck height are piston shape (dished?), and the volume the cylinder heads add to the combustion chamber. He knows what he is adding, and the shims are probably to compensate. Either that, or he has a bunch he wants to get rid of

Completely in agreement here which furthers my point. How would Adrian know if your pistons were dished and if so how much? In addition, what if your case had been machined (I believe the term is "decked" but I'm not sure). There is NO way to know what thickness shim a builder will need unless you measure all the variables yourself. I'm thinking your second possibility is more likely.

Enough about gaskets, nice work on that engine!

Thank you sir! Just in time for camping season!

Skepticism (applied under unfailing politeness) is the order of the day. You are the sole responsible agent for a successful rebuild. As Dick mentioned, you have variables that a machine shop is not necessarily going be aware of. I used to trust that I could do a r&r buy the VW-issue parts, put it together and be on my way. Now it is measure measure measure . . . and pray a little.
Colin