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@tfauch avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1464
Location: Worcester, Ma USA
 
Molto Verboso
@tfauch avatar
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1464
Location: Worcester, Ma USA
UTC quote
ET4 Gear Box Oil Change

This write-up was contributed by TFauch, including all text and images

Tools needed for Gear Box Oil Change:

1) Oil Pan (mine is an old bread pan that came with the house)
2) Oil slide (made from a water bottle)
3) Ratchet Drive, two 3in. extensions or one 6 in. extension, and 6mm Hex bit socket (you can buy these tools individually from Sears)
4) Tutela ZC90 Transmission Oil
5) Clear squeeze bottle marked at 5 oz. ( I used the measuring cup from the kitchen and filled it with 5oz. of water then poured it into the squeeze bottle and marked the squeeze bottle then thoroughly dried the squeeze bottle )

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

Location of the drain plug

Looking from the exhaust side of the scoot thru the rear wheel between the 4 or 5 o'clock position on the wheel you will see the only hex key bolt That's your drain plug.

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

No need to remove the exhaust or rear wheel

Slide the oil slide thru the wheel from the exhaust side so it extends beyond the wheel and tire and into the drain pan. The top of the slide where the water bottle cap use to be will now be in your way to access the drain plug. No worry you can push it (bend it) down so you can access the drain bolt. The bottom of the slide will not move too much because it will hit the linkage for the rear brake. Now loosen the drain plug (counter clockwise) lefty loosey and let the drain plug take a ride down the oil slide into the oil pan. Let the oil drain. Some prefer to drain the oil while the engine is hot because the hot oil will drain faster. I prefer to drain the oil while the engine is cool because I don't want to play around a hot exhaust and because all the crap in the oil will be settled to the bottom by the drain plug.

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

You're almost done

After all the oil has drained. Remove the oil slide and reinstall the drain plug clockwise or righty tighty. Now fill your squeeze bottle with 5 oz. of transmission oil and locate the gear box oil fill/dipstick (that lonely 1 inch black plug to the rear of the engine in the picture below)

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

Per the Owner's manual

The rear hub oil content is 5 oz. with the motorscooter perfectly upright on its stand.
The rear hub oil checking shall be performed as follows:

1) Place the vehicle on its stand on a level surface.

2) Unscrew the dipstick, dry it with a clean rag and then rescrew it completely.

3) Unscrew the dipstick and check that the oil level reaches the MIN notch.

4) Rescrew the dipstick completely.

Oil type: Tutela ZC90 (SAE 80W/90 API GL3 specifications or higher)

Tim
⚠️ Last edited by TFauch on UTC; edited 7 times
⬆️    About 4 years elapsed    ⬇️
@tb avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Vespa 2005 GT200 & Honda Metro
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3517
Location: Honolulu
 
Ossessionato
@tb avatar
Vespa 2005 GT200 & Honda Metro
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3517
Location: Honolulu
UTC quote
I searched and found this very well written step-by-step by TFauch back in 2005 on changing out gear oil and thought it would be good to bump back up and share a couple of ideas that might help those who will changing their gear box oil.

1. When you remove the drain plug make sure you remove the washer along with the plug. It is very easy not to notice the washer. When I removed drain plug there was no washer on the threaded end of the plug. Looking at the drain opening it looked liked there was no washer there...but I took my 90 degree pick and picked around the opening and the washer slid down. It was held in place at the drain opening due to the viscosity of the gear oil. The composition of the washer seems to be aluminum (?) hence there was no contrasting color to separate the washer from the gear box housing drain opening.

2. I tried to use the cut out plastic bottle and found it difficult to use (I do use it to change oil...makes a great trough...since the oil box is a little too big to get under the center stand). Went back and got some aluminum foil and fabricated a trough. Since the aluminum is mallable I was able to secure it up and over the wheel rim and then form a trough that emptied into my oil change box.

Lastly, I also prefer to change out the oil when warm...don't like getting burned by the muffler / silencer. I also prefer to take my time and drain oil completely. Hence I make it a point to change engine oil and gear box oil allowing more than enough time to have oil drain out completely...less chance of oil spillage / run off.
UTC

Lurker
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: Los Angeles
 
Lurker
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: Los Angeles
UTC quote
nice article, this is what i needed, saved me a visit from my mechanic. followed everything from the cutout bottles to the Oil Pan.
⬆️    About 4 months elapsed    ⬇️
UTC

Lurker
Vespa ET4 125cc
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: London
 
Lurker
Vespa ET4 125cc
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: London
UTC quote
Where is the gear oil dipstick?
Old topic I know, but this is the only one I found from Google searching. I don't see any dipstick on my ET4, hope the pics are clear enough to show up..
Does the rear hub look like this for anyone elses scooter?
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
⬆️    About 2 years elapsed    ⬇️
UTC

Member
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12
 
Member
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12
UTC quote
You're right behind it in your pics. It should be black, about the diameter of a big thumb and have a raised cresent-shaped bit coming off of the cap so that you can take it off/put it on by hand.
If you sit on the seat with your feet on the ground, it'll be right by your left calf. Start looking from the ground up.

In regards to the rear hub, mine looks like that but without the dial thingy that's attached to it.
⬆️    About 2 years elapsed    ⬇️
UTC

Enthusiast
'65 Allstate '77 Rally (6 volt ducati) '65 Lambretta Li150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 82
Location: South Florida
 
Enthusiast
'65 Allstate '77 Rally (6 volt ducati) '65 Lambretta Li150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 82
Location: South Florida
UTC quote
Hey guys. Just checking. In mark on transmission oil is all that is needed? I'm there just thought I would have to add some because there are three marks
⬆️    About 4 months elapsed    ⬇️
UTC

Lurker
Vespa ET4 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: Cape Town
 
Lurker
Vespa ET4 150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1
Location: Cape Town
UTC quote
Dipstick level
Hi, my dipstick has many lines... Which is min/max mark?
@blackdoodle avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
2001 ET4
Joined: UTC
Posts: 91
Location: Birmingham, AL
 
Enthusiast
@blackdoodle avatar
2001 ET4
Joined: UTC
Posts: 91
Location: Birmingham, AL
UTC quote
I think you have min, max, and middle line. Aim for the middle line.
⬆️    About 2 months elapsed    ⬇️
@daweiyang avatar
UTC

Hooked
Piaggio Fly150 Vespa GTV250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 161
Location: Urumchi,China
 
Hooked
@daweiyang avatar
Piaggio Fly150 Vespa GTV250ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 161
Location: Urumchi,China
UTC quote
Re: Where is the gear oil dipstick?
havoc135 wrote:
Old topic I know, but this is the only one I found from Google searching. I don't see any dipstick on my ET4, hope the pics are clear enough to show up..
Does the rear hub look like this for anyone elses scooter?
Here,
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text

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