Modern Vespa

This is just a rant on the joys of Vespa ownership. there is however a technical question on coolant leaks hidden in it for the observant amongst us.

On Saturday morning I am moving home to England after three years living in Paris.
The removal men come tomorrow, take all my stuff, and leave me, my wife, and my wee boy, a GTS 300 and an ET4 to make our leisurely way home over what is a bank holiday weekend.

So, a service before we take the bikes on our international trek, and low and behold I have a problem. More than one actually

No coolant and brown oil to the top of the dipstick. I have read the forums and think I understand. Is this definately the water pump? Is there something I can check? 9000km. Nearly 2 years old. Bought new.

I have nowhere to stay in Paris from tomorrow evening. I have to find a dealer, leave my bike, and get the train over in some weeks time to pick it up. Lots of money.

We still must get the ET4 home, so that means me driving it, whilst my wife and kiddie take the train. It's just not the same as a 300GTS. It is a ten year old parisian vespa (though granted, it is working well. I still have a vw bus at my parents house in Scotland, I love the fact it has no water cooling system, and it has never overheated. Though driving in the Alps in the winter does cause it to underheat somewhat).

And then I will have to drive the 125 in England, taking my wee boy to and from school on it. and as I have said before, It is not the same as my 300. We leave our company car here tomorrow evening as well, so don't even have a car in England. And how can I afford one if I have to buy countyless eurostar tickets and a water pump?

And this is after choosing not to sell it, and reregistering it at another adress and reinsuring it, which meant driving, by car, six hundred miles to get the insurance certificate. Long story.

I do believe my joy at going home has been a little tempered.

That sucks but look on the bright side you could of broken down in the middle of nowhere and that would be worse IMHO. Who did the servicing? Had it been running right? On the plus side the ET'S are very reliable scooters, not as fast as the 300's but they will get where your going. Sorry about your problems and good luck in the move back home.

It's more likely to be the head gasket if there is water in the oil - as if water got past the first seal it would have just been lost through the drain tube provided for just this happenstance.

If the oil is merely high in level, rather than a slimy emulsion, then smell it for petrol - as it is possible for unburnt fuel to get into the sump under some circumstances. It could just have been over-filled at some stage as well - all too easy to do.

Dark brown or "milkshake" brown?

Dark = you simply have low coolant and an overfilled sump.

Milkshake = water in the oil. Leak at a minimum, ruined motor if its been ridden.

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard............

And whilst they were there, they fixed my vespa. Thats not what you would expect at all.

It was milkshake brown. It was coolant in my sump. It was not a good thing.

Big big credit goes to Chrono 2 Roues in Paris XVII, who I went to at 12 noon today and by 5:00pm had changed my head gasket and mostly cleaned my oil. No shaking the engine with solvent in it, but rinsed enough with clean oil so that what remains is almost golden. I have driven it, two up, 100km at moderate speed, and it is still almost golden and my coolant is exactly where it should be. 280 euros, which is what it cost.

Take me back to dear old blighty.

Sorry I miss read the thread title.... I thought it said GTS 300 BROWN ALE... I got excited for a second there....

Newcastle brown ale. Oh my, does that take me back.

Belgians think they invented beer, but hey, they have to be famous for something. People from germany go on and on about it. Steins and Beerfests. Bollocks. Czechs think Pils is as good as it gets. Even my french friends are in on the act, and tell me the pale yellow piss is real beer. Give it a name that implies it is old, Seize soixante quatre, and people will think it is what started the friday night party.

And, if anyone is australian, who cares if your piss is cold. It is still piss. Australians can't even spell XXXXr.

Real ale, hand drawn, with pointless English names, is where beer belongs.

And mass produced Newcastle brown, well it gets you pissed quickly, who cares about the taste. I canny wait till I get back tae England.

And can I just say, on every post I have ever done on this forum, JimC has given me the right answer.

If he can can do lottery predictions, then my email address is .........................................

So... which was it... milky or smelly or just overfull.

Helluva service from your dealer.

Bienvenue a Blighty

"Belgians think they invented beer, but hey, they have to be famous for something." -- harmonica bob

Well, they are 'famous' for at least 2 things:

1. IIRC, Belgium was the ONLY country that paid back its American WWI loans. Good on them, shame on the other "Allies."

2. Hercule Poirot.

3. Tintin

I wondered why you were coming back home for , but now I know, enjoy your first ale