Good oils are essential for the reliable and long-lasting performance of a Vespa and provide the necessary cooling and lubrication. High-quality additives in oils provide effective protection against corrosion and wear and also ensure better performance. Different oils serve different purposes. At first glance, a book with many puzzles that we would like to crack here.
Frequently used technical terms in connection with oils
- Viscosity
- Viscosity index
- VI improver
- Lubricity
- Additive package
- JASO standard
- SAE standard
- Shear
What does viscosity mean?
High viscosity
Tough and slow-flowing fluid (non-solid substance), comparable to honey, thick oil.
Great resistance to flow.
Low viscosity
Thin fluid, flows easily, compare with water or gasoline.
Low resistance to flow.
Important aspects of viscosity
Internal friction
Viscosity is caused by internal frictional forces between the molecules of the fluid.
These counteract the forces that cause/accelerate the flow.
Shear
Shear is the force exerted on a fluid to make it flow. The resulting relative movement between the fluid particles is called shear.
The viscosity of fluids generally decreases with increasing temperature.
The viscosity of engine and transmission oils is crucial for the formation of a lubricating film between the moving parts. We can easily recognize that we are dealing with one of the most important processes in the engine of our two-wheeler.
Additive package: What are the benefits of oil additives for the Vespa?
Additive packages are chemical compounds that have an influence on engine performance. They can reduce wear and improve lubricity at extremely high temperatures in the engine. They are able to protect the service life of engine parts from ageing, corrosion and material wear. They can therefore extend the service life.
In the case of engine oils, we are talking about anti-wear additives, detergents (cleaning), dispersants (keeping dirt in suspension), viscosity index improvers (aim of the VI improver = to keep the viscosity of the oil more stable over a wide temperature range), pour point improvers (long-chain polymers, as an additive for blending with engine oil to improve flow behavior at very low temperatures). Without the VI improvers, the production of multigrade oil would hardly be possible. Oils with a higher VI remain more free-flowing at low temperatures and therefore make cold starts easier.
An oil with a good VI is usually less susceptible to thermal degradation.
JASO standard and SAE standard
The Japanese Automotive Standards Organization is the counterpart of the SAE = Society of Automotive Engineers International. Both organizations (the JASO for Japan, the SAE for the USA) play an important role in the development of technical standards and recommendations for these industries. The standards cover a broad spectrum, from performance and safety, materials and processes, test methods and classifications.
For all the terms and dosages just discussed, always refer to the manual for the specific scooter model.
2-Stroke Oil SIP Formula Race CLASSIC
The synthetic SIP Formula Race 2-stroke synthetic oil (for geared scooters) is a bestseller among oils and is suitable for all 2-stroke scooter models.
Advantages of this oil:
- excellent lubricating properties
- high wear protection based on these properties
- best price-performance ratio
- particularly low-smoke, meets or even exceeds the new JASO-FC standard
- the intake and exhaust systems remain clean and do not coke up
- Reduced fuel consumption with the same engine power
With optimized additives, the oil is ideal for heavy-duty 2-stroke engines.
4-Stroke Oil SIP Formula 5W-40
The fully synthetic SIP Formula Race FULLSYN 4-stroke oil is ideally suited for heavy-duty touring and racing engines.
Advantages of this top oil:
- fully synthetic oil, meets and exceeds the strict Japanese JASO-MA standard
- also ideally suited (thanks to compliance with the JASO-MA standard) for 4-stroke engines with oil-bath clutches (wet clutch)
- Effective protection against wear and corrosion thanks to high-quality additives
- Reduced oil consumption, seals and shaft seals are protected
- Suitable for the following engines: Catalytic converter, carburetor and injection engines
Good to know
The JASO-MA standard is specified by Piaggio as a factory specification.
The gearbox oil: lubrication, cooling and protection
The main task of gearbox oil is to lubricate transmission components (such as gear wheels, etc.) and to reduce friction and wear. It also guarantees smooth gear changes and power transmission. Last but not least, it transfers heat away from the engine and protects against corrosion. The most important additives in gearbox oil include anti-wear additives, viscosity index improvers, anti-foaming agents and corrosion protection. Because gearbox oil wears more slowly than engine oil, the change intervals are generally much longer. In plain language, this means that engine oil needs to be changed much more frequently.
Important to know: The different oils are not interchangeable because they have to meet different requirements. If a mix-up occurs, permanent damage must be expected.
Gearbox Oil SIP Formula SAE 80
The SIP Formula SAE 80 automatic gearbox oil with low viscosity – ensures optimum performance and excellent protection against wear.
Advantages of this transmission oil:
- meets and exceeds API GL4 and MIL-L-2105
- Contains kerosenes and extreme pressure additives
- prevents deposits, corrosion, oxidation and foaming
- does not attack seals and shaft seals
Good to know
This oil is also suitable for Lambretta scooters. ATTENTION: 2 bottles of oil are required for Lambretta scooters, i.e. 500 ml.
