Marblehead. I would like to say thank you for this long and very informative thread. I have been pouring over it for a few weeks now. This is because I have to do a very similar job to my 97 A6. I bought it needing the head gaskets doing due to overheating. I have managed to find almost all the info I need from this and a few other threads. About the only thing I need to know right now is how much coolant does the car need for a complete drain/refill ? And if I have any other questions that somehow have not been covered here, then my I bend your ear ( so to say ) with them?