I trust the MB manual for this kind of stuff, I've never seen anything documented for the 16v that says 3 always. When I got my 16v it always kept 3 bar untill I had the TC tensioner updated-it dropped a 1/3rd of a bar then, and dropped another 2/3rds after i tore off the front cover again a few months ago, so i'm around 2 bar at 100c oil temp. My pet theory? Every time you twist the (20+ year old) rubber hoses that lead from the cooler, they break down a little on the inside, and restrict the flow after the oil thermostat opens up. Maybe someday i'lll put money where my mouth is and replaces the two hoses.


cheers,
dan