Change scooter final drive oil

Home mechanic (basic tools) · Time: 20 to 40 min (estimate)

The scooter's belt drives a small gearbox at the rear wheel (the final drive or gear case). These gears run in their own oil, separate from the engine oil, and the amount is small. Old oil wears the gears and bearings and can make the case whine. Change it at the interval in your owner's manual, and after any leak. Many makers specify a hypoid gear oil, but use exactly the type and amount in your manual.

Safety

• Oil on the rear tyre or brake can cause a crash. Shield the tyre and brake with cardboard, and clean any spill fully before riding.
• Let the exhaust cool; it is close to the gear case on many scooters.
• Dispose of used oil at a collection point, not on the ground.

You need

• The correct gear oil and the amount from your manual.
• New sealing washers for the drain and filler bolts.
• A syringe with a tube or a small measuring cup; the amount is small and must be measured.

Steps

1. Ride for a few minutes so the oil is warm and flows, then park on level ground on the centre stand.
2. Find the filler bolt (sometimes with a dipstick or level hole) and the drain bolt, low on the gear case behind the rear wheel. Your manual shows them.
3. Put cardboard between the gear case and the tyre and brake.
4. Remove the filler bolt first. This makes sure you can refill before you drain.
5. Remove the drain bolt and let the oil run into the pan.
6. Look at the oil and any magnet on the drain bolt. Fine grey paste is normal. Chunks, flakes or broken pieces mean gear or bearing damage: have the gear case inspected before riding far.
7. Clean the drain bolt, fit a new washer and tighten it to your manual's torque.
8. Fill with the measured amount of the specified oil through the filler hole.
9. If your scooter has a level hole or dipstick, check the level the way your manual describes. Do not overfill; extra oil can push out of the breather onto the brake or into the belt case.
10. Fit a new washer on the filler bolt and tighten it.
11. Wipe the case clean and remove the cardboard.

Check your work

• After a short ride, no oil at the drain bolt, filler bolt, the wheel side of the case or the breather.
• No oil on the tyre or brake.

If it did not fix the problem

• Oil keeps appearing on the wheel side or inside the belt case: a seal is leaking, see Oil leaking from the scooter rear gear case.
• Whine or grinding from the rear continues: Noise from the scooter drive case.