Which oil should you choose for your scooter? Many beginner riders ask this question, and for good reason. The fate of your trusty two-wheeler depends a lot on the oil you choose.
So first, let's figure out which oil you need. Scooter oil comes in two kinds: two-stroke (2T) and four-stroke (4T). Each of them, in turn, comes in 3 types: mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic. But more on that a bit later. If your scooter runs on straight gasoline, you need 4T oil or a special transmission oil, depending on whether it has a manual transmission (a regular gearbox) or a continuously variable one (a variator).
There are also automatic gearboxes, but that's a different story altogether, and we won't cover them here. Let's start with scooters that run on straight gasoline, i.e. four-strokes. So, if your scooter has a regular gearbox, you need 4T oil; if it has a variator, you need transmission oil. Which to choose: mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic? That depends on many factors, such as the condition and age of your moped, your riding style and so on. Most manufacturers of 4T mopeds and scooters recommend 10W-40 oil, i.e. semi-synthetic.
And rightly so, since this oil has to keep the clutch, which runs in an oil bath, working smoothly, produce little smoke, lubricate well and protect the parts that rub against each other. That's why a special 4T oil is used rather than ordinary car oil, although the scooter will run on car oil too. Now about 2T scooters. The question is: which oil is best to pour into the oil tank or straight into the fuel tank? Synthetic, mineral or semi-synthetic? To begin with, the oil you add to the fuel of a 2T moped must be 2T oil. Besides its basic properties, it mixes well with gasoline. If you pour the oil straight into the tank, it won't settle at the bottom or clog the carburetor.
Plus, it is mixed with gasoline at a lower ratio, so the moped will smoke much less, which means less carbon builds up in the combustion chamber, on the spark plug and in the exhaust ports and pipes. The type of oil you choose should match your riding style and the engine itself. If the engine is old and a bit tired, semi-synthetic or mineral oil will do. That said, mineral oil is a little thicker and lubricates better, but it leaves more carbon deposits.
For fast, high-revving and new engines, 2T synthetic oil is the best choice: it helps keep the engine, specifically the cylinder and piston assembly, clean. As for the gearbox of a 2T moped, you can use 4T oil there too. As mentioned above, it is designed for meshing gear pairs and, most importantly, for the clutch. As a rule, with a manual gearbox the clutch runs in an oil bath in both 2T and 4T mopeds. So the choice is yours. The main thing is not to skimp on things like this: save a kopeck now and you'll lose a hundred later.