Since Mercedes states that an engine meets specs at 80C, then certainly operation between, say 85C to 95C would be ok.

In fact most MBs do just that! Without A/C here in southern CA, my car runs between those limits. So I cannot believe that any damage will be done. My engine has 101K miles on it and is still running strong.

However, I do believe that running the car 110C all day long could cause some bad results. One that I can think of a severe retardation of timing at the temperature.

I do agree that cycling between 85C and 110C would be not the ideal operating conditions.

Interesting story: saw a '91 380SEL where the engine 'melted'!! The woman that owns the car let her 19 yr old son drive it and it overheated. The temp gauge was on-the-pin and he didn't notice anything wrong so he continued to drive it.

The car got so hot that the radiator MELTED! The plastic endcaps were deformed badly. The top 'plastic' pieces on the engine melted like glue! The engine froze 'solid' but, I was told, there was no smell of anything burning. That's hard to believe.

Engine was replaced along with the radiator and a number of other components. It runs great now!

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Regards . . . . JimF
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'94 S500 Cpe

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