Over my forty-five years of hands on experience with Mercedes, I have found that catastrophic engine failures of Mercedes Engines are not caused by weak parts. Mercedes engines are designed to withstand being run at red line all day long. Failure is normally due to neglect, abuse, or wear from advanced miles or the combination of all of these. I most often hear these engines as being over-robost, and over-engineered.

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Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1964 220SE Rally (La Carrera Panamericana someday)
1966 Unimog 404s (Swedish Army)
1969 300SEL 6.3 (sold)
1969 280SL Pagoda
1973 280SEL 4.5
1974 450SLC FIA Rally car (standard trans)
1982 300D turbo (winter driver)
1986 560SEC
1989 Unimog FLU419 (US Army)
1991 300TE (wife)
2002 SLK 32 AMG (350 hp)