98' 2.8 30v Headgaskets (rumor has it they dont fail)
 

How common is it for them to fail? I have 135k/mi always run 90+ octane and enjoy a spirited drive on occasion. Now i have an overheating problem, and I am praying its not the headgaskets, I just really dont want to do them, I wast getting ready to list the car for sale in order to buy a turbo a4 with less miles.

it's not the headgaskets. Probably your t-stat is going bad.

Re: it's not the headgaskets. Probably your t-stat is going bad.
 

It starts to overheat and boil over in the tank. I shut it down and crack open the air vent on the coolant tube under the front of the intake and nothing but steam comes out. Upper rad hose gets warm but not too hot and the intake itself stays cool. I dont think a cooling flush has ever been done on the car. Will audi antifreeze boil after 10 years of use? or would a thermostat be more likely. Im just hoping its not not the headgaskets. I always run 91+ octane
also when its hot and i squeeze the rad hoses they are not super tight like they would be if they were crammed with pressure from leaking headgaskets.
no leaks, runs great.
Thanks a lot for your help

Re: it's not the headgaskets. Probably your t-stat is going bad.
 

I got 327,000 on original gaskets

Keep driving it and it will be the headgaskets...and the heads and the block. Replace the t-stat.

a comment....
 

Its probably coming time for a new rad, and a few other coolant system components(sensors, fan, t-stat). I found ours was leaking and loosing some of its cooling efficiency around 58k(changed it out). Head gasket issues are somewhat rare on these motors but anything is possible with Audi. If you let the car over heat more then once, you might be replacing headgaskets and installing remaned head. These engines do not like to be over heated at all. It also makes a difference if the car had regular coolant changes.

Your radiator likely has blocked passages, since coolant has never been changed.

Pulled the thermostat out and I cant even pry it open with a screwdriver. Thanks a lot everybody!

...unless it is something really simple like a bad t-stat... ;^P

maybe your waterpump is dead.. like shattered impeller