The oil is mineral based and comes from somewhere overseas, but I didn't study it too carefully. But it is special because the scoot has a wet clutch. Ordinary car oil has some extra slick additive that make engines get better mileage, but it also keeps the wet clutch from working correctly. I'm not an expert in this matter but know what I have been told by the dealers.
 |
| Kymco People 200cc |
Of course this oil is $8.99 a liter. And that is just the regular oil, the synthetic is more like $16 a liter. The good news is that such a small engine only takes one quart.
After putting it off for a lot of the afternoon, I had to put down the computer and go get the trailer over in the storage lot. Now that our license testing is over, we plan to take the scooter back to Lake Ozark for the summer. This is fun buzzing around the lake shore on sleepy afternoons.
But it needed this oil change first. The more difficult part of this change is the rear hub, that contains the old 90 weight hypoid gear lube. Its just a couple of plugs and it drains right out, but putting it back is another matter. A couple of years ago, I rigged up a squeeze bottle and some fish tank tubing that will fit into the tiny hole for the top plug.
You measure out .2 liter of the stinky gear lube and put it in the squeeze bottle. It goes in very slowly because it is so heavy weighted. When I paid the dealer to do the change a couple of years ago, he had a funnel rigged up with the little plastic tubing. But it took forever for the oil to gravity down the tiny piping and into the hub. Perhaps the squeeze bottle is only marginally better, but it seems like you are actively involved in squirting it in rather than just waiting.
Changing the engine oil is no more than removing the plug and draining it. With a funnel and the new oil, you pour the .9 liter back into the engine. Seemed simple, but somehow it took about an hour to complete. So tonight we are loaded up with the red scooter in the trailer.
I was a bad boy and didn't go park the truck and trailer back over in the storage tonight. Of course fashionable Overland Park does not allow vehicles in the street overnight. Do you suppose that testy neighbor will call the cops again?
Retired Rod
I would not be surprised...you know they do that just because they are jealous that you have something they don't
ReplyDeleteJoe and Sherri
I really would get tired of those tattletales. But the Scoots is ready to go and have some fun. That is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteGudday Rod,
ReplyDeleteMal from OZ here, long time no write I know but where does the time go.
With your little red scooter and the thick or high viscosity oil, why not try heating the oil first, not that much that it will burn your skin, but enough to make it run freer, it won't damage the oil nor make it lose its viscosity rating.
I did this in many of my bikes over the decades and it works a treat.
You may like to look for a modern oil specially designed for motor cycles with wet clutches, my 1500cc Suzuki had a wet clutch and not only that but I sat my 80kg wife on the back and towed a large camper trailer for 74,000klms around Australia with this oil, which incidentally worked not only in the engine, but in gearbox and clutch.
Hooroo
Mal
Mal, I did use a synthetic version of the gear lube that is closer to 75 weight, and comes in a black bottle. I set it out on the concrete on the sunny side of the garage and it was somewhat warm. But still a tad slow. The engine oil is specifically designed for motorcycles and wet clutches and is what Kymco recommends.....
Delete