Vespa Tech Workshop Videos
Vespa Tech Workshop in Los Gatos, CA. Nov. 3, 2012. Rolf and Glasseye of VCLG performing 20k service on Vespa GTS300. Duration: 6 hrs. 11 min.

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 1

00:35 Class Introduction
Had idea couple months ago, people in need of information. Retired twice, once in the year 2000. Apprenticeship at Porsche in 1951, had Vespa. 1951 - 1954 Tech School. Ended in 1954. Came to United States in 1958. Contract with Porsche in San Francisco. Stayed in San Jose. Born in Hamburg, Germany. Retired in 2000, received phone call from Piaggio. Vespa coming back to United States in year 2000 with two models - ET2 & ET4. Set up in boutiques. Needed someone who lived in the United States that was involved in the scooter scene. Clocked 100k miles in 5 years. Training program at new boutique, by truck with factory tools, factory book, scooters, 2 motors - ET2 & ET4. Graduated 700 people. Piaggio had scooters in house, set up classroom with TV, 15 people in class. 50th anniversary Piaggio Vespa. From San Francisco to New York, put scooters on plane in London, to UK, to Holland by ferry boat, to Germany, to Switzerland, to Italy. Owned most models of Vespa. 1946 Vespa, only one in United States. Restored in workshop.

12:50 Class Overview
Cover full service on GTS300. Not here to make a mechanic out of you, but to have an idea of what mechanic is talking about. $120/hr. is what dealerships get, don't want to be stuck taking scooter to dealership. Reason for starting class. Trying to make people a little smarter. $50 oil change, guy who does it makes $7.50/hr. Saw first Vespa in 1946. Be able to do some service yourself.

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 2

00:00 Introductions

25:00 Engine Types
GTS250 and GTS300, all the same work. 3 types of engines used. 1st - Air cooled 150cc. Used in Fly & LX, LXV. All the same engine. 2nd - Quasar motors. 200-250cc. 3rd - Master motors. X9 and BV500. All Piaggio engines. NEW motor - 350cc. in BV350. Piaggio to put 350cc in GTS frame in 2014.

29:00 Error Codes
What is service? 1st thing - GTS250 & 300, hook it up to computer, punch in model to see faults. Computer decodes faults (ECU). Stores [defective] codes for 16 starts. Three different types, made by Digitech Navigator. Dealers pay $1500 for new computer. 3rd party device for code readout available. Digitech holds five modules (max). $200 device, only works with serial port, by MotorSports. Available at ScooterWest.

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 3

00:00 Shortcomings on Vespa scooters
LX & Fly - when you turn ignition on, light comes on. biggest killer for a low battery, cannot push start. Get battery tender. Lithium-ion battery option, don't overcharge. GT200 - soft on front shocks. GTS & GTV - little soft on front suspension. Rear tires - to get more life, use correct tire pressure (go on the high side). Check tire pressure often. Oversize tire option, 140 instead of 130 on rear. Doesn't cost much more, better handling. Use same make front and rear.

13:50 Engine Oil
Piaggio does not recommend Mobile 1. Correct engine oil weight - 540 full synthetic. Find brand, stick with it unless in an emergency. Make sure oil is full, but not over filled. GTS very sensitive to over filling GTS oil. Make sure GTS oil is not over top mark. If over filled, oil ends up in air box, air cleaner, floor and all over motor. Fill to little below top mark. Screw dipstick in tight. BV350 - use 1550 full synthetic. Also change oil filter cartridge. On normal oil filters, change oil filter when changing oil. When taking old oil filter off, make sure the old O-ring does not stay in the engine case. When using new O-ring, but a little oil on O-ring seal and thread of new filter. When you tighten the oil filter, you can use oil filter wrench (Jettin). Don't over tighten when installing new oil filter. Hand-tighten. Latest in oil filters for GTS. - Made by Scott. Wash out with soap and water, then re-use. Normal filters, any brand should work. Large dealer mark-up on parts.

26:55 Transmission Oil
If you change transmission oil, do it while you change rear tire. Drain plug for transmission is allen screw. Easier to change with rear wheel off. Can go 15k-20k miles before changing transmission oil. Uses 8090 HighPoint gear differential oil. Also a 60 or 70 oil will work (full synthetic). Or 7590 will work also. Piaggio made dipstick with 5 lines... only fill to 2nd line from bottom. Do not overfill. If transmission oil is overfilled, goes to air channel and gets trapped, siphons all oil out. Must clean out and start over. Use oil can to easily add oil. Funnels available from Shapeways.com by OopsClunkThud (for engine oil http://www.shapeways.com/model/225460/oil-funnel.html and transmission oil http://www.shapeways.com/model/232924/transmission-funnel.html).

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 4

00:00 Keys & Ignition Locks
If you make new keys, you have to buy Piaggio keys. Keys ~$35 from dealer. Fly does not have lockout system. All US models have immobilizer unit. Once immobilizer is activated with brown key, it is married - can only be programmed one time. To program a new key, you need the brown key. Keep brown key safe. $450 to replace locks, system for new brown key. Can make an additional 3-4 keys from brown key for GTS. Make sure new key works after cutting at locksmith. To program new keys, you need the brown key. If you have to program new key put brown key in, turn on, turn off, out. Take blue key, put in, turn on, turn off, out. Repeat with brown key again to lock the system. Use key only, no keychains. If programming multiple blue keys, all must be done together. Open program in ECU with brown key, do all blue keys, then close program with brown key. e.g. Brown, blue, blue, blue, brown. Diagnostic will show how many keys are programmed in system. If you break your lock and have to replace, Piaggio sends lock set with a brown and blue key. Remove chip from existing brown key and place in new brown key. This way you will only have to replace the locks, not the entire ECU. Chip in brown key has to follow ECU.

10:05 Service Intervals
Minor services do not have valve adjustments. Major adjustments have valve adjustments - every 10-12k miles. First valve check is at 12k miles. Also at 12k miles - new belt. Average life of belt is 9-13k miles. Recommend replace belt at 10k miles or every 2 years. Go more by the mileage unless the scooter has been sitting for 3-4 years. Change belt at 6k and 12k service. All services - change engine oil & filter, fuel filter (GT200 only). Major services - change coolant, use same type of coolant (same brand or color). Don't mix brands. To get coolant out, disconnect lower water hose to drain. Check coolant level behind right knee cover. Check while scooter is cool before checking. Avoid air pockets in coolant system. Use bleeder screw to let air out. Open screw, listen for air to escape, close when coolant (or water) is visible. GT200 & BV200 does not have bleeder screw. Let scooter idle until fan comes on. Once fan comes on, you know there is no air in the system. Fan is controlled by temperature switch. After you bleed coolant, check to make sure coolant is still full. Bleeder screw located in thermostat housing.

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 5

02:30 Coolant fan switch.
Regulates the temperature and cooling fan. Also gives signal to MIU unit to ingest fuel mixture for warmup.

04:16 LED light on dash.
Different intervals of flashes for different errors. Check manual to look up error flash code to diagnose electrical issues. Flash code will stop after 24 hours. Clock has its own battery, difficult to replace.

08:04 ECU/MIU Ignition system.
If scooter doesn't start, pull plug out to look at pins in plug. Look up pins on plug see what each pin does. Sometimes connector pins pushed up into plug, check male and female pin connectors. Only fuel injected scooters have it (GTS). GT200 does not have it (no fuel injection). Do not adjust set screw on ECU to adjust throttle. Mechanic can check TPS angle. Idle speed regulated by temperature. Stepper motor is automatic choke, controlled by temperature switch. Temperature switch also controls fuel.

22:00 Drain oil.
Remove oil drain plug and drain into pan. Remove yellow filter and make sure there are no metal flakes. Remove oil filter. Can do with center stand down, but make sure to not get oil on center stand. Make siphon from cooking pan to drain into oil pan. Make sure o-ring comes off with oil filter and oil drain plug. Get as much oil out as possible with finger. Put some oil around new oil filter before installing. Hand tighten oil filter and oil drain plug, do not torque. Drain plug uses 22mm metric.

34:55 Removing cover over clutch & variator.
Pull side strips off. Two fasteners, one up front, one in rear (10mm). Lightly pull away from rubber discs. Get air cleaner off. Big philips head screws, 3 screws. Use magnet to remove screws. Move air cleaner up and out of way. Remove 8mm nuts holding cover. Do not remove nuts under oil housing (they look the same). Bolts on bottom have retainers for brake line. The rear of the two also holds the vent line. Remember to put it back on. Remove clutch nut. Need clutch tool to put clutch nut back on. Pull dipstick out to remove cover. Center stand needs to be down to remove cover. Rear nut has specific torque setting that needs to be used when reassembled.

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 6

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 7

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 8

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 9

Vespa Tech Workshop - Part 10

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