Comparing transmissions.
 

Is there info available somewhere that will define the difference between trannys of the same family?? In particular the 717.400 and the .402. I know the .402 was for the 280SL and the 123's etc. got the .400 but what is the difference?? Thanks.

The speedo drive is electronic on the 717.402. It also came with the w126 euro as an option I believe. 717.401 has the starter on the left. They are all the Getrag GL275. 717.400 401 402 404 420 421 422are the ones I've seen that have all the same internals for the most part. The 404 is the dogleg but its mostly the same . Torque input rating is 270Nm for all of them, but Ive read of them taking much more.More than 400nm I have read in some cases.

Great info, thank you.

The 717.404 is from the 190e 16V. It has internals that differ the most from the rest. It has different gearing. The others are identical plus or minus a few spacers/clips or washers. I've looked over the EPC for all of them. For the 717.404, It has a fine spline Input shaft/clutch like the 190e. The transmission case is identical to the 717.401 with the starter bump on the left. The .404 is still the same design and input torque. I believe if you took all the internals from the 717.404 and put them inside one of the other GL275 boxes it would fit, giving a dogleg to the 300D om617, or M110. Not that anyone would do that. or Maybe ...
The Gwagon version 717.42x has a different tail piece WITHOUT a speedo drive. The Gwagon speedo is run off of the transfer case. The 717.400 tail piece will fit the .420 giving a speedo drive. The speedo drive Bore can be machined in on the Gwagon transmission though. The tail pieces are also swappable between the .400 and the .402. I'm sure not too many people have them both side by side. They are pretty rare. I think the 280sl ones are more common. I have seen those advertised around a bit more.I barely ever see a 300d 5 speed. Possibly more 280sl cars were imported. I just missed a 280sl 5sp earlier this year for 2500 in LA. It was snatched up quickly by a local. I saw her on ebay a few days later. I literally had the person on the phone pleading with her to sell it to me. I was too far away. She wanted now. What a shame.