[Nevadan]

Originally Posted by v8volvo

That is interesting. There are quite a few other engines that use this style of bucket and shim valvetrain system, so maybe someone's warehouse was stocked incorrectly and had the shims mixed up with different diameters for different engines. One example is the Volvo "redblock" 4-cylinder gas engines, which use shims similar to the VW engines, but might be of a larger size (bigger valves, bore spacing etc). I wonder if the ones you got could be for those engines?

I have a bunch of the thicker shims in my valve adjustment kit. Might even have a few above 4.00. If you end up having trouble getting hold of the right stuff let me know and I would be happy to send you some. I don't think I have ever used anything above 3.90 myself. More often I have faced the opposite problem, needing to find especially thin shims (like under 3.00), rather than thick ones, since as the engines wear the valve clearance usually decreases (wear on the valve seats and sealing faces). I think the only time the really thick ones are needed is in a case like yours where a valve stem has been ground and/or new seats are installed during a rebuild, causing the clearance to increase.

I've got some thick ones coming from another supplier but if they're incorrect I'll let you know.