ok ,since this is a used case there is some things we can assume or check easily yourself without tools but with common sence.first it has run before and if you realy look at the cam bearings and the crankshaft gear and camshaft gear for any sighns of wear you could expect camshaft to crank alignment too be ok,take a look at the old lifters and check for any sighns of heavy metal scuffing on all 8 of them and then look into the bores,try a new lifter in all the bores it should feel snug with no rock with the lifter half way out.same with the dist drive shaft it should slid in easy /rotate smooth and show no sighns of wear also check for slop when its installed.since you most likely have no means of measuring a inside dimension such as a main bearing bore .do this, look at the split bearing and see if it has even wear all around the contact surface,if it looks more worn or excessively pitted/flaky at the top and bottom edge or even the middle area thats from crank flex and we can assume some case pounding,align bore it then.as for case barrel deck height this can be corrected by getting the machine shop too lay one case flat and machine the barrle deck surface flat,then take the othe case and without moving the depth the cutter is set at take the same amount of that case=even deck height,when i got my case back from bow wow there was a differance of .008 on the left case half compared too the other.you will need to be exact what you want a machine shop too do.
-now i now this is not the correct way too start a engine project,i wanted you too see there is other ways of doing things,NEVER TRUST ANYONE BUT YOUSELF.when it comes to serious engine building the days of buying parts from the shelf and bolting it together are long gone,everone makes parts too there dimension and not to a stock vw dimension.
my advise is if you are doing a first time engine with mainly stock parts ,try the above case prep meathod,if you are spending a bit of money on this project ,pay someone too do it or make the investment in propper tools [they will be with you for ever] and tripple measure everthing.get a bentily manual about 80 % of info you need will be there.just remember when you start adding more power tolerances change.good luck and don't be discouraged .its great too do your own motor.there will be lots of help on site
