People 250 Final Drive Oil....Frothy white?

[ScooterLar]

I drained the final drive oil in my People 250 this morning and it came out frothy white. I change the final drive oil yearly (with the correct gear oil) and don't ever recall it coming out this way. I warmed up the bike for about 2 minutes or so before draining the oil. Anyone experience this when replacing the final drive oil? 

[Stig / Major Tom]

Under an oil fill cap it is just some water condensation....further down in an engine it usually means leaking gasket letting coolant into the oil.....or a leaking seal letting water in.

In this place in your scoot it might be natural condensation inside the gear case....(very humid weather in your area?) ......or a seal is letting water in.
WATER is the suspect, though, I think.
Foamy oil is a less effective lubricant for those gears.

I'd change it....and then check it again in a few days/miles.
Stig

[beermak]

+1 ride it a couple of days and re drain. Its 250cc of oil worth checking.

Enviado desde mi SM-G920I mediante Tapatalk

[ScooterLar]

Thanks for the responses. I would normally agree that water is the most likely culprit, but how would water get into the final drive? If a final drive seal has gone bad, wouldn't the oil just leak out? I changed the oil and will recheck after a few days of riding. Thanks again for the help!

[Forbes1964]

Perhaps through the vent tube. Make sure it's in place. Otherwise water could have gotten in from washing or riding through water.

[ScooterLar]

Thanks, but I don't think that's the problem because I never ride any of my scoots in the rain, or wash my scooters with a hose. I only use Plexus Plastic Cleaner to clean the plastic panels.

Thanks again!

[ScooterLar]

Update....I just got off the phone with my trusty motorcycle/scooter mechanic and he said internal condensation is most likely the cause. He said that because the cavity in the final drive is only partially filled with oil, the empty portion of the final drive actually "sweats" inside. My garage does get damp when the outside temperature drastically changes, so it is feasible that this could be the problem. The only part that doesn't make sense is that none of my other six scooters, including my other two Kymco 250's, have had this issue.

Thanks again to all who responded. Your suggestions that moisture is definitely the culprit was spot on.

[Forbes1964]

Update....I just got off the phone with my trusty motorcycle/scooter mechanic and he said internal condensation is most likely the cause. He said that because the cavity in the final drive is only partially filled with oil, the empty portion of the final drive actually "sweats" inside. My garage does get damp when the outside temperature drastically changes, so it is feasible that this could be the problem. The only part that doesn't make sense is that none of my other six scooters, including my other two Kymco 250's, have had this issue.

Thanks again to all who responded. Your suggestions that moisture is definitely the culprit was spot on.

it could be related to the type of driving that particular scooter gets driven vs the others, how long it sits, or even what the humidity was when the rides was finished. If it cools off during high humidity, then the wet air is drawn into the rear axle and condenses. Then there's just the variation from scooter to scooter.

At any rate, glad that it was nothing major.