Modern Vespa

Hi all in Vespa world. I'm new to this site but.not new to scooters in general. I've owned my GT200 for 17 years with only minor repairs and servicing in that time. I now appear to have oil in my header tank which is v.v annoying. My suspicion is obviously head gasket but is there anywhere else to check before I jump in and start pulling it to bits? Also, any idea what a shop would charge for this work? UK prices preferably. TIA for any tips and info.

Sorry to hear this!

You mentioned the radiator tank has oil. What does the oil look like? Milkshake?

Any leaks or drips from the bike?

Hi.
Thanks for the reply. The oil in the rad tank is quite black so hasn't mixed with the water. I dipped in a cloth and the oil stuck to it. No drips or leaks that I can see. I only discovered the oil in water because I needed to top up the coolant after a small coolant pipe was pierced on the cylinder head during a plug change. Hope this info helps. 🤔👍

Sorry for the confusion! I meant what does the oil on your oil pan look like? Does the oil on the dipstick look normal?

Just trying to determine if you also have thd reverse case of coolant in the oil supply.

Hello again. Thanks for the reply. I checked the sump oil and it looks really clean, no obvious signs of mayo type gunge in there. It was changed recently and still looks fresh. I soaked up the black oil in the header tank (pic) and ran the engine on tickover for 5 mins. It cutout once but restarted straight away and sounds uk. I wonder if oil is getting through at high temps/speed while compression is high? I'm leaning towards pulling the motor and getting my hands dirty to investigate. Any opinions/shared knowledge appreciated.

Waterpump seal would be another possibility
After sitting for some months, the seal will stick to the shaft & tear when you start it

Water pump first. It can be easily serviced and doesn't require engine removal. Replace the seals and see if the issue persists. If it does, then tear it down and replace the head gasket.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have a look at that but is there engine oil behind the water pump? Would be a much quicker repair! 👍

Yes, there is oil behind the water pump, which is also where you'll find the oil pump and stator.

Thanks Bueller.. I'll have a look at that first, before I go mad and pull the engine out. Ill post an update when I get chance to look at it.
Cheers..
🙄😟