How to Change the Engine Oil in Your Vespa ET4 Scooter

In these days of economic hardship, we are all looking for ways to save money and extend the life of our current vehicles. One way to prolong the life of your scooter is through scheduled maintenance. Veteran scooterists know that the oil and oil filter needs to be changed annually or every 2,000 miles.

Changing the oil in your Vespa is fairly easy and only requires a bit of planning and a few tools. By changing the oil yourself, you'll learn your way around your scooter and save some money too.

Supplies needed:

Motor oil: Vespa ET4's manufacturers specifications requirements are a 5W-40 oil exceeding API SJ specifications, ACEA specifications. Motor oil brands recommended by scooterists are: Selenia HI Scooter 4 Tech, Motul 300V Factory Line double ester 5W-40 4T 100% synthetic, Shell Rotella 5W-40 synthetic oil, Valvoline 5W-40, Castrol 5W-40 synthetic API SL, AGIP Hi TEC 4T full synthetic, and AMSOIL 5W-40 synthetic. You'll need a little over a liter of oil.

Oil filter: Original Piaggio oil filter or an aftermarket filter. The aftermarket filters tend to be considerably less expensive. Scooterist recommended brands are: Hi-Flo HF 183, Champion, Malossi Red Chilli, Athena, and K&N. Filters can be bought at your local Vespa dealership or online. Check to make sure that the filter you order is compatible with a Vespa ET4 150cc leader engine.

O-ring for oil drain nut

Tools needed:
- 24mm combo wrench or Jettin Industries combo tool 10mm combo wrench
- 10 mm ratchet wrench adapter
- 6 inch "narrow" extension for ratchet wrench
- ratchet wrench
- 20mm ratchet wrench adapter
- 6mm Allen wrench
- Oil filter adapter for socket wrench or 6mm Allen wrench
- flexible oil pan or aluminum baking pan
- newspaper
- funnel
- paper towels
- industrial strength hand cleaner

Oil change procedure:
Oil flows better when it's warm. Run the engine for about 15 minutes to heat the oil. Turn off the engine and park the scooter over some newspaper. During the oil change, oil may go where you hadn't planned on it going. It's wise to have a roll of paper towels handy too. Let the scooter cool till the muffler is cool to the touch.

You'll now need to remove muffler to access the oil filter and oil drain plug. Use the 6mm Allen wrench to loosen the two bolts that attach the muffler to the scooter frame. Next, loosen the two 10mm nuts holding the muffler to the engine head. It's a tight fit so, you'll need to use a 10mm ratchet wrench with the 6 inch adapter for the left nut. You will need to use the 10mm combo wrench to loosen the right one. Set the muffler aside.

Slide the oil pan under the scooter. Loosen the oil fill dipstick on other side of the scooter to prevent a vacuum from forming.

Use a 24mm combo wrench to remove the oil drain plug. The warm oil will quickly flow out into the pan. Have the pan there ready to catch it.

You can then remove the oil filter and let the oil in it flow into the pan. Let the oil drip until it stops. You will see an oil screen inside the oil drain plug area. Remove it and inspect it. Clean it if necessary.

Clean the oil drain plug, install the new O ring on it, oil the seal with fresh oil and tighten it. Next, oil the new O seal that came with the new oil filter. Screw the filter on by hand then very lightly tighten it with either: the 20mm ratchet wrench, the 6 mm Allen wrench across the oil filter slot, or with the ratchet wrench adapter that fits in the oil filter slot. The method you use depends on your oil filter design. Don't over-tighten or you may strip the filter or the part it attaches to.

Put the funnel into the oil fill hole where the oil dipstick fits. Slowly add oil into the funnel. It should take 1L of oil. Add quart of oil (~946 ml) and then check the oil level. Add oil until you see oil between the MIN and MAX marks on the dipstick.

Re-attach the muffler. When re-attaching the muffler be careful not to over-tighten and strip the bolts that attach the muffler to the engine head.

Turn on the engine to flush air out of the new oil filter and oil chamber. The oil sensor light will light briefly until it senses the new oil and the air is flushed out.

Let the scooter sit for 10 minutes. Check the oil again. Fill until the oil is between the MIN and MAX marks.

Pour the used oil into the container that the new oil came in. Take it to an oil recycling collection center.

Clean the scooter with SimpleGreen to remove any oil that may have gotten on it.

Run the engine and check for leaks.

Celebrate your new oil by going for a ride. You deserve it.

If you have any questions about changing the oil in your Vespa, drop by www.modernvespa.com The helpful community there will answer any and all questions. There is also a technical library on the forum that will help you to perform many other maintenance tasks.

More information on Vespa ET maintenance

How to change the air filter in a Vespa ET4 scooter

How to change the gear box oil in a Vespa ET4 scooter

How to check the engine oil level on a Vespa ET4 scooter

How to replace the fuel tap on a Vespa ET4 scooter

Sources:
http://daysailer1.com/
How to change the engine oil in a Vespa ET4 scooter
Vespa ET4 150cc Four-Stroke Workshop Manual