Is it actual sand or particles of baked carbon? It does look pretty grim in there but thats not uncommon on the 2.8 because of its terrible crankcase ventilation. The TDIs get very similar looking buildup from the exhaust gas recirculation.
The NA V6 is generally tough as old boots, plus its less susceptible to cylinder damage than the V8 since its an iron block. The only things I've seen happen which can kill that engine are chain tensioners failing or catastrophic overheating.
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