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Post by siggy63 on Apr 10, 2008 18:13:15 GMT
G'Day All Stupid questions time (apologies in advance)
After many years pushing me Lambretta around the UK I have got my first Vespa - nice PX125 and only a few years old.
Questions:
What is the best oil to use? is the Autolube reliable or should I premix?
Got my small toolkit, anything else special that I should look out for?
Will be back with more questions once I've spent the week-end zipping around North Kent
Danny
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Post by Devo McDuff on Apr 10, 2008 18:35:23 GMT
How do Danny,
Have a flick through the boards or do a search. All your queries are already knocking about.
Ta,
Dan
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Post by Spence on Apr 11, 2008 15:32:25 GMT
Welcome Siggy. As Devo says, you're probably best having a trawl through the forum, because you'll get lots of different answers to your questions based on everyone's own opinion.
I personally like RockOil fully synth, and I've never had a problem with an autolube, but then I've never had an older scooter with autolube, and pre-mixing my Sprint isn't a problem either.
Someone else will recommend another oil and tell you autolubes are as reliable as a clingfilm condom. Good luck!
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Post by siggy63 on Apr 11, 2008 19:22:37 GMT
Ah the old Clingfilm Condom routine, no wonder I keep getting told I've got kids - must start using stronger stuff.
Tks for the heads up, arrived back home this evening and cant wait to get out and about to see what she can do, I may even take a few phots LOL
Danny
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curare
2nd Class Ticket
Posts: 11
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Post by curare on Apr 11, 2008 20:08:18 GMT
hello, as spence said you will get different answer. This is mine: oil: for a szandard engine any two stroke oil for autolube will do it. The standard engine doesn't really need something special. Is the autolube reliable? Yes it is reliable. It can break? Yes, of course. In one year we can repair about 5-6 vespa with a problem caused from the autolube. And it is expensive. Also because when the autolube fails you will size and apart from the autolube you have to rebore the cylinder and get an oversize piston.
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Post by joey on Apr 11, 2008 21:07:00 GMT
Autolube is poo! Works great when it works but the first you know that it's not working is when you're sliding down the road after a lockup due to lack of lubrication!! Standard PX you canuse any semi or fully synthetic 2stroke oil, but whatever type you go with make sure to use the same one all of the time as different manufacturers use different additives meaning that they won't mix properly. My preference, (and it's only my opinion,) is Castrol Power1 TTS fully synthetic, widely available in Halfords, and I premix at 2%. Since getting rid of autolube I've never had a nip due to lack of lubrication........ only from going too fast! ;D
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Post by siggy63 on Apr 12, 2008 8:13:37 GMT
To all, many tks for the information especially the ideas on the autolube - having already chucked myself down the A2 on the lammie I dread repeating my acrobat feat of daring on the vespa so autolube may have to be put on hold. Next question - how the hell do you turn it off then.
I take it the mix ratio 2% equates to one of the measuring pots everyone has per 5 litre fuel can.
See I told you I would have lots of questions! you should have seen the list when I got my first lambretta LOL
Danny
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Post by dto79px on Apr 13, 2008 18:22:34 GMT
If the vespa is only a few years old the autolube will be fine , why should it fail all modern 2t twist & go scooters have autolube and they never fail there not expensive to replace as i brought a nearly new (150km) carb/box/autolube on ebay for £12 used the carb on my non autolube px and resold the box/autolube on ebay for £16 ;D just top up 2t oil and check it's using 100ml with 5 litres of fuel as for 2t oil all newer piaggio's use fully sythetic oil as standard .
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Post by siggy63 on Apr 15, 2008 17:37:04 GMT
just top up 2t oil and check it's using 100ml with 5 litres of fuel Mate Tks for the info, one question - how do I check that its using 100ml with 5ltrs of fuel? Danny
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Post by dto79px on Apr 15, 2008 18:48:08 GMT
Just top up the 2t oil regular and see how much it uses , then if you notice its using less oil you can check if somethings wrong . 100ml to 5 litres of petrol is what you would use if pre-mixing or 2% or 50-1 are other measures . It should use a 1 litre bottle in approx 600-800 miles depending on how you drive ;D
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Post by siggy63 on Apr 16, 2008 17:07:12 GMT
Hello Another stupid question
The front brake is squeaking, fluid seems okay - would this be a sign of wear n tear or just squeaky!
Tks for the information on the oil, was getting concerned as used to pre-mixing me oil/fuel every time I filled up and been using the scooter to commute to work all week and still not topped up the oil yet......
I suppose after throwing me self/scooter down the A2 I'm still edgy about using the wheels but at least I've stopped checking the front tyre every 100 mtrs as it was getting a bit obsessive and ruined any ride out...
Danny
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Post by dto79px on Apr 16, 2008 20:32:30 GMT
have a check on the thickness of pads if there is less then 1.5-2 mm it might be worth changing them . if plenty of thickness left then it may be a case of removing the pads and pin , giving the inside and out side of the calipar a good blast of brake cleaner , a small paint brush is good at getting at the road crude inside , then refit cleaned pads and remember to coppaslip the back of the pads and the pin before you replace , usally works a treat ;D if your worried about the tubed tyres they do tubeless rims for the px now
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Post by joey on Apr 16, 2008 21:04:12 GMT
Ok......... Most modern rev & rips are designed fro the ground up with an oil metering device as an integral part of the engine design which is why they are so reliable, the oil metering device on a Vespa is a slight improvement ( ) to a quite old and still very basic engine design which is why they are not as reliable as a modern engine. I'm not saying that all autolubes will fail, but believe me it doesn't take very much to upset them. This is a Malossi 210 piston which caused me to lock up doing 70 down the A1. I crawled home, changed back to my standard top end, (and put on clean underwear ;D,) and 5 miles later this happened.... I was only doing roughly 55 when the standard went but it's still no fun when there's an artic up your bottom!!! All it took for this to happen was for a tiny particle of swarf from my gearbox splashing up onto my oil metering spindle and jamming into the softer metal of the casing causing the whole autolube to stop functioning. End result... near heart failure and severe underwear soiling, but more importantly over £300 worth of knackered top ends and 2 weeks off the road waiting for new parts. Please note that it took less than 20 miles for a goosed autolube to kill 2 top ends, and this on a well maintained scoot less than 18 months old (at the time,) so age doesn't play a part, and it proves that you can't just keep an eye on your oil level to see whether your autolube is working or not I don't pretend to know it all but I tend to keep my gob well and truly shut if I'm unsure, and any advice I post on this or any other forum is through experience, but please also note that anything I post is only my opinion, and as we all know opinions are like a**es....everyones got one! ;D
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Post by dto79px on Apr 16, 2008 21:55:57 GMT
if it was left standard and not malossi kitted would the repair and damage be covered by the 2 year piaggio warranty and fitting a second top end on without finding why it seized in the first place is just plain stupid bad luck with the metal flake jamming the worm drive up changing the gearbox oil regular should have removed this and yes modern t&g's do have a better crank or belt driven oil pump
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Post by joey on Apr 16, 2008 22:16:26 GMT
As previously stated the scoot is, and always has been well maintained, 6 month oil change by myself and not taken to a dealer to do the simple stuff, and at the time I too had blind faith in the manufacturers method of lubrication, hence the belief that I had simply had a heat sieze and changed back to the standard top end that had come off the scoot a few weeks previously, not stupid although admittedly naive in my faith in factory fitted components. Incidentally "swarf" is not a flake but minute particles caused by metal on metal contact no matter how well lubricated, and is present as soon as you start your engine, hence the reason most car engines have a magnetic sump plug to collect it. I was a tank driver/mechanic for over 16 years, and have been a scooterist for over 20, so have more than a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of mechanics to back up my statements, so please do not presume to imply that I am in any way "stupid!" I did not post in order to cause an argument merely to point out that sometimes it's better to be safe that dead, and pre mixing is the safer and more reliable option. Not just my opinion either, much better and more experienced than I say exactly the same.
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Post by Devo McDuff on Apr 17, 2008 22:47:09 GMT
Jesus, you're terrifying me here Joey! ;D
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Post by bryno on Apr 18, 2008 7:43:39 GMT
Well, going back to your original question, you can certainly throw half your tool kit away mate, you're riding a Vespa now
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Post by Spence on Apr 18, 2008 8:45:44 GMT
Joey for President.
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Post by joey on Apr 18, 2008 9:04:36 GMT
Devo sorry if I'm causing you sleepless nights kid ;D, it wasn't my intention, and onreflection my last post may seem a bit harsh. I thoroughly agree that when your autolube is working it's great, and for most it will last for the lfe of the scoot, but it can go wrong, and my main point is that there is no way of knowing it's gone wrong until you have a bad seize. There are other problems associated with auto lube.... 1) A brand new PX was returned to the dealer as "theres no more yellow stuff in the little bubble." 2) A biker convert thought that the sight glass was a gearbox oil tell tale and was adding 2% to the tank anyway causing the motor to run weak as he was now running 4%! 3) There was a run of PXs a couple of years ago where the sight glass hadn't been properly secured to the oil tank causing 2 stroke to leak all over the inside of the frame and onto the back tyre through the clutch and back brake grommets. As I've alreay said, when it works it works well, but there's not really anyway you can tell if it's on it's way out, and as my photos prove it can go wrong quite quickly. I prefer premixing as you know exactly what is going in and being used, but this is only a personal opinion. The vast majority of autolubes will go on trouble free for years. I now have a cigarette lighter where my sight glass used to be, a damn sight more useful as you can't charge your phone off your autolube and when I'm wearing my flip top lid I don't have to mess about with my zippo if I want a smoke
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Post by Devo McDuff on Apr 18, 2008 9:47:54 GMT
That's cool as duck. Forget about the various safety advantages, I just want a lighter where my sight-glass is
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Post by bryno on Apr 18, 2008 11:31:56 GMT
Lol, I'm thinking of junking my autolube JUST so I can fit one of them
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satchmo
1st Class Ticket
Back!
Posts: 98
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Post by satchmo on Apr 18, 2008 11:34:06 GMT
Its tempting isnt it Also with the autolube gone, you do have the option for fitting a larger capacity fuel tank too!
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Post by skrappey on Apr 18, 2008 15:11:00 GMT
I,m definitely doing that on my LML cos I don't trust autolube anyway and still put some premix in as well. Cool as anything to look at too.
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Post by dto79px on Apr 18, 2008 20:43:15 GMT
I don't smoke but thats a great place to power things and charge your phone as for the autolube debate no problem get a new 4-stroke vespa i'll get me coat ;D
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Post by Robjack on Apr 18, 2008 21:13:51 GMT
Here's something to go on your handlebars Joey
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