dont remove your mb thermostat.

larry is right on.

mb's have a bypass thermostat not the more common type which just blocks all flow until it reaches temp. the bypass flows from the pump back to the block until warm thereby allowing no hot spots. after that it will flow all of the water to the radiator... if you take it out you will lose the full force of the cooling system when it is needed by splitting your flow betweent the block and the radiatior instead of flowing all of it to the radiator.

the only time to take one out is if it is stuck and no replacement is available and then only til you can put one in.

as far as the hotness under the hood... i always think of the heat sink effect on all those hoses and wires when the engine is really hot...like it would be in texas... when that happens when i am on a trip and have to stop and shut down i always pop the hood and leave it up a couple of feet to cool down. if i stop at a rest area or such i wil also do this with it running.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.