Well, there's proof that you can learn something new every day! As far as I can remember, I have never heard of anyone doing this.........other than my Dad, back in the day on my VW engine when I threw a rod in it. I was 17 years old then, and had never rebuilt an engine before........but watching my Dad replace a jug, piston, rod and bearings on that engine......with leftover engine parts in his Barn that my older brother's had there from rebuilding their VW's engines.......I was sure that my engine would not last very long after that "rebuild"!!
I never got to drive it again.......my Dad sold it to a friend of mine (I was pissed about that.....feared that the engine would blow up on him also!) and I started buying Dad's older 1973 Chevy truck from him.
Boy, was I wrong about my Dad's engine "rebuild" on the VW........my friend that bought my old VW, got married a couple of years later, and his wife drove that Bug for 20+ more years before selling it! I should have bought it back!
I don't know what cc engine it was once Dad got through building it, but I don't think it was still a 1600cc engine.......all of those spare VW parts in the Barn were from 1200cc & 1300cc engines!!
Keep us posted on how it does in the future, and congrats on solving your engine issue! Great job!!
