Best Vespa Tranny Oil?

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The old Vespa two strokes use a gear box with oil bathed clutches using cork as the clutch friction material. What is the best oil to use for this transmission? When the scooters were new in the 1960's the factory recommended 30W engine oil. Some people say to stick with dino 30W because more modern oils will cause the clutch to slip. It seems to me that there should be something better.
 
I don't know enough about oil formulation to say what would be an acceptable oil to use with cork friction material. Hopefully one of the oil company reps will have something useful to add.
 
Tomos has cork on their clutches...

And It is recommending...ATF A or 10w30/15w30 UTTO oil ( universal tractor transmission oil)...its GL4 rated

Probably u can use even any motocycle 10w(30-40) GL4 rated oil....(JASO MA)
 
I have a 1966 Vespa VBC 150. I've been using a Red Line synthetic called Lightweight Gear Oil in the transmission. It seems to work very well. I see on the Red Line website they no longer carry an oil with that exact name, but there's one called Lightweight ShockProof which is probably the same product.
 
You had me at "cork material"

Non-detergent API "SB" SAE 30 ND that they sell at Napa for use in air compressors, as engine break-in oil, and for classic pre-1950 automobiles is what I would use in order to avoid some rogue additive from attacking your wooden clutch material.
 
found this info in a forum thread on Modern Vespa forum website:

Re: Oil for my Vespa model "PX 150 E" year 1998 Pa
ijazbaig wrote:
Dears,

What are recommendations of Vespa company for my 2 stroke "PX 150 E" year 1998 Pakistan series about following:

1. Oil for mixing in fuel ?
2. Oil for Gear box ?
3. Oil change interval for Gear box ?
4. Oil qty. for Gear box ?

Please help,

Best regards,
Ijaz Baig
1. Oil for mixing in fuel ?
Any reasonable quality 2 stroke oil suitable for oil injector systems

2. Oil for Gear box ?
SAE 75W/85 Gear oil rated GL-4 (NOT GL-5) or SAE 30W NON-Detergent oil.

3. Oil change interval for Gear box ?
600 miles or 1,000 km

4. Oil qty. for Gear box ?
250 cc


This thread has been moved to the Not So Modern Forum. That's where the folks who are shifty Vespa enthusiasts tend to hang out, giving you a better shot at quick answers. NSM is home to all shifty Vespas, regardless of year and model.

75w-85 gl-4 gear oil is often sold by Japanese car dealers...I once bought a quart of it for a 2009 Stella 2T (Vespa PX clone) at a local Nissan dealer
 
75W is too thin and can make the clutch slip when the engine is cold (unless it's new or upgraded).

The official recommendation is SAE 30 or 80W API GL-4. Since Piaggio recommends Eni oil now, the OEM oil is Eni Rotra Bike 80W-90 (datasheet).
 
Originally Posted By: JohnnyMerrill
75W is too thin and can make the clutch slip when the engine is cold (unless it's new or upgraded).

The official recommendation is SAE 30 or 80W API GL-4. Since Piaggio recommends Eni oil now, the OEM oil is Eni Rotra Bike 80W-90 (datasheet).


What real difference is there between an sae75 gear oil and an SAE80 gear oil.
 
Cork is still used in bands/clutches.

You don't need to source an unopened antique can of 1960's SAE30 motor oil.

SAE J300 and J306 define the viscs for gear oil and motor oil.

@100°c
SAE 30 9.3-12.5 cst
SAE 40 12.5-16.3
SAE 85 11-13.5
SAE 90 13.5-18.5

If SAE30 was required then or any SAE 75w85 now, then either will work fine. Use ANY 75w85 GL4, UTTO, UTHF, SAE30... or equivalent in that grade range...

JASO motorcycle wet clutch motor oil is another option and available in conventional, blend, synth, 5w30, 10w30, 5w40, 10w40.... which all should work well.

In warm climates, I'd even consider a 10w40 motorcycle oil or any of the 75w90 GL4 MT fluids. FLuids shear.

As you can see, there is no such thing as SAE 30W.
There is a SAE 30 grade or weight or whatever misnomer you want to use.

http://www.widman.biz/English/Tables/J300.html
http://www.widman.biz/English/Tables/J306.html

Nissan/Hyundai/Kia dealers have a really good GL4 75w85.
Ford has a GL4 75w90.
 
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