>glances down at his tach and sees that the tach needle is WAY BEYOND RED
>LINE!!!--its like the tip of the tach needle is about even with the red

VAG has modified the CPU to allow an extra 1000RPM before cutout, in a 
Vanagon Syncro for offroad racing purposes, so that makes 6200RPM-6600RPM.  
The recent exploding clutch disc occured by my calculations at 7800RPM, so 
the bottom line is.. does your friend want to give me his defective CPU and 
I will give him one that works properly ;>, see ya, tim