Modern Vespa

I down loaded the MP3 400 maintenance manual and searched for the procedure to replace the antifreeze in my MP3 400, no where to be found. Could not get any response from my dealer or Piaggio customer service. Evidently Piaggio wants you to get the service at dealership which to me is ridiculous since they about 100 miles from home. The service manual really needs an update. According to my hydrometer i am good to +5 F so I am getting nervous about our +10F Temperature outside. Other than that its a great machine rode BMW motorcycles for years and I dont have to shift anymore, wunderbar. Thanks for your help. Georgio :

The service manual was intended for dealers, not us so they may not know how either.

The way i normally do them at work...

Undo the little access cover to the header tank in the front fairing, and remove the cap...

...now remove the small allen bolts around the water pump housing on the RH side of the engine, now pull it away from the engine and let the coolant drain out into what ever container/pan you have underneath...

... Once its finished, rebolt the waterpump cover with copper slip on the little bolts to stop them siezing up in the future as they aint the best metal in the world.

Now refill the system with the proper coolant, dont mix colours if possible.

Undo the small access hatch near the passenger footrest on the LH side, look at the cylinder head and youll see on the top the bleed nipple, undo this and allow the system to bleed until a steady stream of water appears...

...once this is happening, tighten it up, retop up the header tank then start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes while keeping a shady eye on the dash, if it gets too hot turn it off, if not let it run for 5mins to make sure the thermostat opens and full circuit circulation occurs... once the time is up, turn it off, and wait another 5mins for it too cool down a little, now reundo the bleed nipple and bleed out any remaining airbubbles.

Re top-up the headtank and jobs done, have a coffee and feel good about the days work.

Thanks for that excellent procedure descriptive! That's going into my scooter maintenance book along with so many of the other great pieces I've learned on this site. Cheers, cheeky!

Thanks Cheeky for the procedure. Piagggio designers are unbelievable they require you to take off the water pump to empty the coolant! Why couldn't they just put a plug in the housing assembly unscrew and voila coolant empties out. Another concern I have will the fluid be draining out of the radiator because of its location which appears to be lower than engine bleed that you drain. Right now I will proceed with your method because its getting near 0F here in New Paltz NY. and I don't want my beloved Carmellina freezing up. Hope to get started tomorrow on coolant removal. Thanks Again, Georgio

Yeah, it does seem like the Piaggio engineers are smoking something funny when you look at how they design some of their products..

Why not use some heat tape, an electric blanket or even a 40 watt incandescent light bulb to keep your scoot a bit warmer overnight? Even with better coolant you can't be too careful. Many years ago we did that during the sub-zero nights in Michigan and never had a freezing issue in the pump house or on vehicles (that I can recall...). Seemed like just the little bit of heat was enough, especially with infra-red from a light bulb. Just check it daily to be sure its functional.

Maybe it doesn't get cold in Italy, like here in northern USA.

what is the proper coolant?

it is listed in the owners manuel and the service manual but here it is

Recommended products
SPECIAL AGIP PERMANENT fluid
coolant
Monoethylene glycol-based antifreeze fluid, CUNA NC 956-16
03_15
03_16

ere is a list of the manuals for the 400 for your reference

http://www.scootermanuals.us/manuals/Piaggio%20MP3/MP3%20400/index.htm

The last post has prompted a complaint I have about the Instruction Manual.

For all fluid replacements and top-up it only quotes 'Agip', the one brand and no alternatives.

My problem is that no one in my part of the word has ever heard of that brand and the book does not give any alternatives.

It would be great if some kind person "in the know" could give us a list of equivalent products for say Shell or BP or any of the other well known world-wide brands.

And while I am at it, Piagio and many others now issue instruction books in about 500 languages. My Instruction book is over 2 cm thick (over 3/4") and only 1/3rd of it is in a language I can read. What an awful waste of paper and cartage etc. Surely it would not be too hard to print a language specific book for each language market!

End of gripes!

use a Monoethylene glycol-based antifreeze fluid, CUNA NC 956-16
look at the bottles and you can see what the ingrediants are. manufacture doesn't matter. just a 50/50 mix some even comes premixed at 50/50. most auto parts stores should have the right mono-glycol.

Have you ever read an owners manual before??? Ford will only recommend Motorcraft fluids and parts, GM will only recommend Genuine GM Parts or maybe AC Delco, Yamaha will only recommend YamhaLube or genuine Yamaha parts. And Piaggio does refer to a spec fluids must meet, i.e.: Monoethylene glycol-based antifreeze

There is a reason they recommend those because the seals are design in mind with the chemical make up of those products. Reason why not to mix.

ty
<-----------250
but I was more interested in a brand that others use

go look at the bottle on the shelfs and if they are Monoethylene glycol-based your good to go. Brand does not matter. spec does just like oil, what 1 brand a person likes is different then the next person, it don't make it right or wrong or better or worse just different name that meets the same specification.