Modern Vespa

What's the best way to do this? TIA

I haven't replaced it but I've topped it off if needed. Just be sure to use pre-diluted stuff made for scooters and motorcycles.

The manual or service manual says to replace the coolant every 2 years. Which is what I have done in my cars , so I'm having my dealer flush out the coolant in my GTS this week while they servie the scooter. Have 30K on the GTS, so I guess it's time.

I've replaced it before on my X9s.

Buy a large (4 or 5 litre) container of de-ionised water from your local auto-parts, and a couple of litres of ethelyne-glycol anti-freeze. In another clean container mix these 50-50 - not so much for the maximum anti-freeze effect but to maximise the anti-corrosion properties.

Remove the filler cap and then the lowest hose you can find on the engine - let it empty out. Replace hose.

Refill with as much coolant mixture as it will take. Bleed the system (there may be more than one bleed nipple) as much as possible, top up with coolant as required.

Using the highest bleed nipple you can find on the engine, run a length of clear plastic tubing from that to the expansion tank. Start the engine and let coolant come out of the tubing back into the tank until no more air bubbles show, stop engine and nip up the nipple. Replace filler cap.

To test, run the engine until it reaches operating temperature. Ensure it doesn't keep rising in temperature after the normal point, at least for a few minutes. Leave it running until the temperature does start rising again and check the fan cuts in at the correct point.

Job done.

Thanks for the thorough response, Jim. I have a few questions:

-The Vespa manual says it holds around 1.2 liters of coolant. Can I just use the premixed stuff from Castrol instead of mixing my own?
-By lowest hose on the engine, would that be near the water pump?
-Where is the bleeder screw located on the engine?

The best information that I've seen on this is MN Scooters' posts on another thread. I don't know if his information is gospel, but I'd recommend reading every one of his posts and then deciding what to buy and whether to flush the system. Good resource , this:

antifreeze

cheers

NORTHERN CLIMATES BEWARE OF MIXING WITH WATER!!!

Where is this bleed nipple on the engine?
I can't find it. Could you show it on the picture?

best,
Marcin

Looks as though the GT200 doesn't have one. So fill up, run the engine until warm, switch off, allow to cool, top off if necessary, run until hot, check it doesn't overheat.

Thanks jimc,

This methods is enough to full air releasing from engine chamber (prevent from the air pocket )?

I would like to be dead certainty. The best way to full empty the coolant is releasing the lowest hose - i.e. two pipes on the pomp?
For better purring out I should slope to the right/left?

Looking at the design, yes it should be if the water pump is working properly Yes I don't think it matters.

Many thanks!
Best,
Marcin

What? ALL coolant gets mixed at 50/50. Putting in 100% coolant will eat your motor alive. Pure coolant is VERY corrosive. Get a jar with 100% coolant and put bolt in it and see how long it takes to eat the bolt away.

Wayne B

50:50 ethylene glycol:de-ionised water gets you down to around a -35C freezing point, colder than that and take it indoors...

After 60:40 (just over -40C) the antifreeze properties rapidly get worse again, so no point ever going past that.

50:50 is the 'sweet point' - plus it's very easy to measure and mix! This ratio also offers about the best boiling point IIRC, so ideal for cars and bikes. Ethylene glycol is poisonous, so don't drink it!

Corrosive properties are normally only seen with propylene glycol, when it gets hot and is exposed to air. This is hardly ever used in automotive applications, never in consumer ones. It's not as poisonous as ethylene glycol, so is often used in the food industry as a coolant.

Why even replace it???

Go to www.peakantifreeze.com

Antifreeze should be good for the life of the vehicle.
Same thing with brake fluid. As long as the closed sytem integrity is maintained.
These recommended changes are great for service departments and the manufacturers of these products.

Now I'll sit back and wait for the responses to this post.
Should make for an interesting afternoon as I'm really bored with nothing to do but monitor.

Go for it folks!!

'

I will bite.

From the website you listed:

This is why it is generally recommended that conventional coolants be changed every 2 years or 24,000 miles.


And secondly, it is not a closed system. There are overflow vents and relief valves.

Niether is the braking system, there are vents and water eventually gets in the system
NTSB study showed 20% of vehicles have 5% or more water in the braking system, enough to cause failure in a high use situation.

Come on, if it moves, it fails. Maintain your vehicle properly!

Come on, keep it going.

Ball is in your court, put up or shut up!

Don't forget the lubricating properties of your coolant. Don't expect the water pump to last very long with old coolant.

The only things that keep an engine from dying a quick death are oil and coolant. Best to keep them in tip-top shape!

The original poster was looking for useful information. What's the possible use baiting and being an asshole?

Takes one to know one, eh??

It's really working, eh?? Guess you guys have a free day as well.

OK, I'll play on the dark side too.

I've never 'rotated the coolant' on any car I've ever had and I usually run them past 175,000 miles before I give them away.

(I'm reading this because I've considered flushing the coolant on my GT since I spoil it more than my cars)

+ 1

My next door neighbour owns a fleet of taxis.

They change oil every 15k km and the filters every 10k km. NEVER change antifreeze unless there is radiator damage, NEVER change brake fluid unless there is a leak.
They change out vehicles at 400k km.
Their down time is @6% during the life of the vehicles. Accidents account for most of the down time.

The owner's brother (and partner) is a GM engineer (SAE) and advises him on the maintenance schedules and the efficacy of what is recommended by the OEM's.
The skeds set up by the OEM's are for the furtherence of the dealerships.
This can be applied to any vehicle, be it Vespa or Harley. It is all what can be be sold to the user/buyer.
If you're gullible, go for it.
It will salve your conscience. (and of course validate your warranty - NOT). More on this later.

That is now changing.
We will soon see a different attitude toward maintenance as the "new" economy emerges.

I forgot to mention that these vehicles operate 24/7 and in WX that ranges from -35°C to + 30°C
, snow, rain, etc.

Fear the nerdy anti-freeze debate team!



Hey, how did that clown get in here!

Show me a part that is completely entropy free and I will agree it never needs replacing.

Other than that, every fluid and mechanical part must be replaced or it will fail. The 2nd law of thermodynamics is a harsh mistress.

Can you get away with not changing fluids? Sure.

I would argue that those taxi's are better maintained than the average vehicle even at the schedule mentioned. Working in my grandfather's small engine repair shop as a teenager/20 something exposed me to the evils people perpetrated on unsuspecting engines.