Craig,
About apr/june 1995 I had the heads replaced on my 87 syncro (120 kmi) and 
got VWoA to cough up 50% support for parts and labor involved with the 
repair.  My POC at VWoA was Karen Lawson at 800/822.8987.

Changing the coolant twice per year sounds like a good idea.  Are there any 
other procedures to promote head longevity?

later,
Fred Porter
87 syncro

 ----------
|From: "vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu"@PMDF@PAXMB1
|To: porter fred; "vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu"@PMDF@PAXMB1
|Subject: Re: head gaskets and time bombs
|Date: Monday, February 05, 1996 9:22AM
|
|<<File Attachment: 00000000.TXT>>
|In a message dated 96-01-31 16:44:40 EST, you write:
|
|>  The engine is a 2.1 on my '86 Syncro Westy.  Any input is
|>appreciated as they quoted me from $800 to $2000 for the job.
|>
|>Also someone said that if I yell at someone loud enough I may get VW to 
chip
|>in due to some class action suit.
|
|Craig,
|
|You may get lucky with VWoA, but with an '86 with (how many miles?), they 
may
|tell you that the vehicle has already reached its intended service life.  I
|know this is a lame answer, but actually, depending on your mileage, you're
|pretty lucky to have made it this far.  My '88 Vanagon GL (2.1L) had to 
have
|it's gaskets replaced at about 70K miles.  I believe it cost me around
|US$1000, but since the van at the time was only 3 years old, VWoA picked up
|66 percent of the cost.  That was four years ago, and the heads have not
|leaked since.  However, I keep the coolant fresh by changing twice per 
year,
|because the corrosion inhibitors wear out over time, which adds to the
|likelihood of head and/or gasket leaks.
|
|As far as the repair shop telling you to let the gaskets go until they 
blow,
|the risk you run is that you heads themselves will become so pitted over 
time
|that they, too, will need replacement, which will add BIG BUCKS to the 
repair
|bill.  Also, you won't be able to predict where you are when they blow, and
|you could dump all of your coolant in a big hurry, which would leave you 
with
|a BIG tow bill (if you don't burn up your engine before you can pull over).
| I think you'd be better off getting the head gaskets replaced as soon as
|possible, then keep your coolant changed at regular intervals, and save up
|for your next head gasket replacement in another 70-120K miles.
|
|Good Luck!
|
|Cliff
|'88 Vanagon GL (2.1L), with toasty toes in this -30 degree weather in the
|midwest! (gotta love those wasserboxers!)
|