85.5mm + 87mm Barrel Spacer Kit (0.020" Thick) - Type 1 Engines

Cylinder base shim set for aircooled VW Type 1 engines using standard 85.5mm cylinders and pistons.

These precision shims install between the cylinder barrel and crankcase to alter deck height and adjust the engine compression ratio during engine building or rebuilding. Increasing the spacing between the cylinder and crankcase increases combustion chamber volume, helping lower compression ratio and fine tune engine geometry.

Cylinder shims are commonly used when assembling performance or rebuilt engines, especially when using modified crankshafts, flycut cylinder heads, altered combustion chambers or when setting exact deck height measurements during blueprinting.

This version is designed for standard 85.5mm barrels used on 1600cc Type 1 engines and is suitable for Beetle, Bus, Karmann Ghia, Type 3 and other upright Type 1 engine applications.

Manufactured to 0.020″ thickness (0.508mm), allowing greater deck height adjustment compared to thinner shims.

Sold as a set of 4, enough for one complete engine.

We recommend accurately measuring deck height and calculating final compression ratio before final engine assembly. Cylinder seating surfaces should always be checked for cleanliness and flatness during installation.

Specifications:

• Fits 85.5mm cylinders/barrels
• Thickness: 0.020″ (0.508mm)
• Fits standard 1600cc Type 1 engines
• Quantity: Set of 4
• Fits between cylinder and crankcase

Applications:

Aircooled VW

• VW Beetle, 1960–1979, 1600cc Type 1 engines
• VW Splitscreen Bus, 1960–1967, upright Type 1 engine applications
• VW Baywindow Bus, 1968–1979, Type 1 engine models
• VW Karmann Ghia, 1960–1974
• VW Type 3, 1961–1973, upright Type 1 based engine applications
• VW Type 181 Trekker, 1968–1983
• VW Buggy and Baja models using 85.5mm Type 1 engines