The best scooter motor oil

The best scooter engine oil for your scooter is one that meets all the specifications listed by the scooter manufacturer for your scooter model.  Not all scooter oil is the same or works for all engine types.

Scooters come with either 2 stroke or 4 stroke engines.  Four stroke engine parts are lubricated by oil contained within the engine - sorta like a car engine.  They use a oil filter and need to have the oil and oil filter changed on a regular maintenance schedule.

Two stroke engines require oil but either have a tank that injects it into the gasoline as it is consumed or need oil mixed into the gas tank when it is filled.  They don't have oil filters or require oil changes.

Use the engine motor oil that the scooter manufacturer recommends.  Don't scrimp - use quality oil.  Don't be penny wise and pound foolish with your scooters hard-working engine.

The owner of a local scooter shop told me a story a few years ago of a 2-stroke scooter owner who tried to save money by using lawn mower oil in his scooter.  He did that for a few years.  He then came to the repair shop to say his scooter wouldn't run.  After checking everything, they looked at his exhaust pipe.  It was almost completely clogged with oil residue.  It was several hundred dollars to replace that exhaust.

One scooter engine oil I really like for my Vespa ET4 is Motul. I use their 300V Factory Line double ester 5W40 4T 100% synthetic motor oil.  Motul makes a full line of scooter motor oils for 2-stroke and 4 stroke engines.

It can be hard to find Motul oil.  I found it from a dealer on the internet for around $16 per liter.  The shipping took about a month but I saved some money on that deal.

There are other quality scooter motor oils around.  Check with your local scooter shop first.  Shipping heavy liquids is expensive for online purchases.

Some 2-stroke scooter motor oils come with scents.  It's kinds nice smelling those during rallies rather than some oily-smelling cloud of smoke.

Read your owner's manual and find out what oil your engine needs.  Change the oil filter when changing the oil.  Clean any filters too.

Want to understand the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engine better?  Here's a great article explaining the difference - http://motorscooterguide.net/Articles/2StrokeOR4Stroke/2StrokeOR4Stroke.html 

I wrote up a fairly simple guide with pictures on How to change the engine oil for a Vespa ET4 a few years ago.  I still use it.

© 2012 G. Kunkel and Colorado Scooters. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to G. Kunkel and Colorado Scooters with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.