I was told by one mechanic at the local VW dealer that using distilled
water with the coolant helped prolong the life of the heads by slowing
down down the corrosion process.  I figured it could not hurt so I use
distilled water now.
 ----------
>From: SyncroHead@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Nervous about heads
Date: Wednesday, January 08, 1997 10:02AM

In a message dated 97-01-07 18:38:00 EST, lionel@ark.prestel.co.uk
(Lionel
Tun) writes:

> I keep hearing about the 'heads' going on water-cooled 1.9 and 2.1
engines.
>  Is it inevitable?

I think so, although can be postponed with regular coolant changes.

>  My 84 GL has done 183,000 miles but a recon engine was put in 75,000
miles
>  ago in 1991 (probably due to the head thing:-).
>  Does this head thing re-occur regularly or is a once only fix?

I haven't heard of anything to indicate that the corrosion could somehow
stop
after changing the heads.  The process should just start over again from
scratch.  Unless...... VW could have changed the metalurgy in the new
heads
to make them less prone to corrosion.

Todd Francis has had his heads (well, his Vanagon's heads) coated with a
ceramic material to avoid corrosion.  This process sounds promising, but
so
far he only has 30,000 miles on the heads, so it's too early to tell.

Regards,
Jim Davis
87 GL Syncro
88 GL Wolfsburg