Modern Vespa

I bought my MP3 300 HPE back in 2019. Few days ago (with 16K km) I started to hear knocking noises, very similar to https://modernvespa.com/forum/topic180939 . The technician said for my case it seems to be an issue with a piston pin

He sent me a video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ft2zfjiSOVA?feature=share

(sorry for the Hebrew, he explains that there is freedom in the piston pin and this is the reason for the knocking)

I checked for oil every now and then and I had a good level of oil. Also, when was in the garage they checked for oil and there was oil and it was fine. A real bummer

Yup, that's a bummer dude.

Exactly what brand and type oil was used in that engine and how often was it changed???

The oil was put by authorized technician of the Piaggio, I dont know what brand it was unfortunately.

Oil was changed on first 1000km, and every 10,000km or every year if I did not get to do 10,000km.

The play is normal with out oil !! so not the problem just tested it on a new crankshaft with a new pin, (500cc) You also don't have pics from wear on the pin or bearing
the problem could be the big-end, oilpump, valve assembly or the wet clutch

Thank you!

The noise was happening with entire gearbox disassembled, so I don't think its related to those.

I will ask the technician about the play, and double check that its indeed the issue or not. He disassembled everything, including piston, so I believe he would have found the issue. I will ask again. Thanks!

10K km oil changes are too long IMO for a little one thumper engine with such a small oil sump (only 1,5Liter)

5K km oil changes are the bare minimum in my book.

And yes, I do realize that Piaggio publishes a 10K km oil service interval but remember that they are in the new vehicle business.

WHAT, why would anyone run the engine with it part of it (the gearbox/transmission) disassembled? that does not make sense. but if so I am sure you will hear all kinds of abnormal noises doing so. put it all back together then report on your wierd noises.

^This X 10. Yeah, sounds like the bike is in the hands of a amateur mechanic who is playing "I wonder what's inside"

Mechanic replaced piston pin + crankshaft and there is no noise anymore.

This mechanic is with more than 10 years of experience with MP3. He deal with those MP3 almost exclusively.
You have many videos of him tearning up and fixing Mp3 engines.

People referred me to this mechanic after many I have been through and couldn't fix it (said its an engine issue and nothing can be done), they call him in Israel as "vespa professor".

Almost all people told me this is a low/no oil issue. This mechanic said it does not look like low oil issue. He said usually low oil issue seems different, he said usually there are marks and damage on certain parts, but he did not see it here. I really hope this thing won't make this horrible noise again, otherwise I am in real trouble.

so it was the big-end

My 2008 MP3-400 with 45,000 miles is blowing an excessive amount of oil into the air filter. The oil level is kept slightly below full to attempt to deal with it but still getting soaked. Robot is looking it over today to see if it is blowing by the piston. The good news is if it is the piston / cylinder head we are going to install a new still in the crate 400 motor complete with a new transmission / rear drive. For a price that would normally be for just a head replacement. So I will end up with a new 400!!! Much better than dropping $15K on a new one. Just need it ready by Tuesday for Amerivespa. Thank you Robot, Alex, and everyone @ Vespa Motorsports!

So the new 400 engine simply drops in? Is that true of other models too? Could the 400 drop into the 300 for example? 530 into a 500?

yes but not plug and play a 300 uses a different cableharness so you need to change that one to if you want to upgrade also the mounting is different but is a bolt on a new ecu/throttlebody should come with a new engine

i've got 2 in stock :
a 400 used the ecu for a customer
and a 500HPE advanced with reversegear with ecu/throttlebody

But a front-end demaged mp3 4 or 500 is the cheaper way then you have a engine cable harness and Throttlebody don't buy a 500 from en Beverly or Nexus different mounting point and ECU

A cable harness for the 530 is also different as the older 500 non ABS/ASR model its look like the 500HPE is the same as the 530 but the Cylinder en piston is cheaper to change out but not plug and play the barrel of the 530 is 2.5mm wider so you need to widen the crankcase a littlebit but is do-able