6.9 speedometer: which is right?

[W116-M117]

Maybe something dicussed in the past (sorry if I opened an already done dicussion), but looking at some cars offered in Europe (Autoscout24), I observed that there are specimens with a different max. speedo marks in the intermediate gear. This is a surprise: I has already considered that the only max speed (260 km/h) was the only way to distinguish a 6.9 from a standard 450, nevertheless - standing the several offered car cluster - there are at least two versions:

|> 260 km/h as max speed, 95 km/h max in I gear, and 155 km/h max in II gear;

|> 260 km/h as max speed, 105 km/h max in I gear, and 170 km/h max in II gear.

Now, I know 95 km/h max in I gear, and 155 km/h max in II gear are standard for an M117 (my 100% original 450SE has exactly these limits), therefore, despite the 260 km/h max, I have some suspect on that speedometer, considering that the final ratio 2.65 (instead of 3.07 of the M117) would be able to permit a 105 km/h and 170 km/h, respectively in I and II gear, nevertheless those speedos appear correct... any idea about this strange situation?

[robertd]

Hello W116-M117

The answer is that the m100 6.9 motor came in different versions for different countries.

There was a high compression 8.8:1 for Europe and 8:1 for Australia and other countries,

For some reason these motors had different red lines on their taco's eg'

some had max 5000rpm and others had 5200rpm. that would account for the different max speeds for each gear!

Robert

[W116-M117]

UNderstood: thank you, Robert.

I was thinking that only US version where de-powered (1:8 compression ratio, 250 CV @ 4000 rpm instead of 1:8.8, 286 CV @ 4250 rpm) and with a shorter final ratio, but they where clearly identified by the double-scale of the speedo (mph and kph), while australian cars have kph speedo only, like EU versions (apart from UK and Ireland). Clear, now!

[oversize]

I heard they all have the same gear ratios, both in the trans and the diff

[TJ 450]

The shift points are different on the later, non Euro trans. Mine shifts at 5,300rpm, at 155kph in second. Speedo reflects this, but I have the 5krpm Tachometer, as it left the factory as Euro spec and was modified to ADR later.

Tim

[s class]

The early cars seem to all have a 5000rpm redline, with the later ones usually being 5250. 

All have the same transmission and final drive ratios. 

[W116-M117]

This one, June 1977, has redline on tacho @5300, but has II gear limit @155 kph: http://www.autoscout24.it/Details.aspx?id=225678479

This one, September 1977, has same redline of the previous one, but II gear limit is 170 kph: http://www.autoscout24.it/Details.aspx?id=214437634

This one is March 1977, redline @5000 and II gear limit @155 kph: http://www.autoscout24.it/Details.aspx?id=221185668

This one is January 1976, redline @5000 but II gear limit @170 kph: http://www.autoscout24.it/Details.aspx?id=221988842

This is a specimen of July 1979 has redline @5000 and II gear limit @155 kph: http://www.autoscout24.it/Details.aspx?id=229659741

As a conclusion: even if the change seems to be happened on middle 1977, all these examples get more confusion... or suspects