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SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:54 pm
by a.j
Read earlier it has the same qualities as ST 90. Surely, if SAE 30 is used in a vespa, why do folk say you can't use it in our lambrettas?
Apart from the chain, what's so different?
Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:45 pm
by a.j
Amazed nobody knows the answer to this. I'm not making it up.

Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:21 pm
by Donnie
sae 30 for vespa is in fact talking about sae engine oil 30, vespa sae 30 is in fact sae 80 gear oil whereas st90 is thicker, ie more viscous.
my understanding is that the vespa doesn't need the thicker oil as it doesn't have the chain and front sprocket to lubricate.
Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:35 pm
by a.j
Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:47 pm
by Doom Patrol
Isn't it supposed to make your clutch slip?
Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:53 pm
by a.j
I dunno..al I know is Halfords do sae30 two minutes down the road from me & its a lot cheaper than st90 from our local dealer 30 miles away.
Found this from another forum ''sae30 is nearly the same viscosity as st90 (about st85), sae 90 and st 90 are different
you want a jasoMA rated oil, im led to believe 10w40 is fine''
Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:55 pm
by Doom Patrol
Tell you what. You get some and try it and we'll wait and find out how you get on before we buy it ourselves.

Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:00 pm
by a.j
Doom Patrol wrote:Tell you what. You get some and try it and we'll wait and find out how you get on before we buy it ourselves.

What. like Groundsmans two stroke?
''Lambretta Gearbox Oil Change
A two stroke engine lubricates itself in two separate ways. The gearbox, clutch, and drive is lubricated by standard gearbox oil. There is no oil pump. Instead, the gears running in the oil manage to pass enough oil around the gearbox to lubricate it properly. Gearbox oil in a scooter should be changed about every 3000 miles with new
ST 90 gear oil, which is the same as SAE 30 motor oil. For some reason oil manufacturers have different viscosity definitions for motor oil vs. gear oil. This is a constant cause of confusion when buying transmission oil for your scooter. If in doubt remember that oil for car engines is crankcase oil and oil specifically for scooter transmissions is gear oil. ''

Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 6:26 pm
by Muppet
popcorn time again

Re: SAE 30 oil.
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 8:26 pm
by Jazzy
It seems there's nothing more emotive than oil.
Heaven forbid you mention a view different from that the Innocentis.
I did hear some use transmission fluid but when I repeated this out loud
a Fatwa was served on me.
Be carful out there.
