Lol its almost like pure guesswork using the Haynes!
To be honest the Haynes was ok when stripping the engine but its brief detail isnt working for rebuilding.
It shows a rubbish "sketch" for explaining about how where the thrust washer goes, and it doesnt actually show the thrust washer just whats its like on the flywheel end, all you can see is a little notch. The notches on my thrust washers are slightly bent one way on both, so im not sure if they are meant to be like that and which way they go. Or if they shouldnt be bent!
I was going to buy new ones, but vwh showed them as not currently available so i better give vw a ring to see if they are discontinued or not.
I tried to look at a diagram on vwh and thats when i couldnt work out which the thrust washer was, and that there is actually two of them. The diagram lists felt rings (which you are saying look like thrust washers) and also a thrust washer, which i guess is the difference between the early and late engines.
I do know about end float with the shims, i will be using a feeler gauge to check
When i was trying to split the cases all the bits on that end fell out so i had no chance of knowing which order they went in, i did try!
I think i need to see about getting a Bentley manual if they really are so much better.
Sorry im getting abit of a nuisance now!