I did this to one of my Rabbits.
All the coolant drained out and I kept driving.
When it finally stopped the gauge didn't even read in the red, there wasn't a warning light for overheat or low coolant.
I didn't see anything wrong with the pistons except the ring grooves were sloppy,... probably just a high mileage thing, you'll have that.
The head is another story. it was too warped but the cracks between the valves weren't very big,... so I had it heated, bent straight and line bored,... then line bored again this time correctly. New seats, exhaust valves, guides, seals, etc... and had is surfaced.
You can probably get your head fixed, I can't remember how much it cost me for an NA 12mm headbolt head.
We're going to have to figure out a Murphy switch with a verbal countdown to when the engine is going to shut off
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
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'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.