DT250 restoration - Nearly complete

Hey guys! I'm still new to the forums and to the bike culture, hoping to change that in a big way.
I recently finished getting my instructional permit for my state, and after what amounts to basically 10 years of tooling around in the cornfields or the forest or public easement around my home, I've just recently decided to get my long-beloved '75 DT250 onto the street.



Pretty humble beginnings with this old gal. Got 'er for $300 with a uniquely convenient set of electrical problems consisting pretty much of a bad stator and not a single working ground on the whole bike.

Early on since I was a lazy kid, all I did was screw around with the ignition wiring until it safely started with no bad connections or leaky joinys anywere.
Over the last 8 months, it's received a new seat cover, cleaning up of some rust on the forks and brakes, complete internal brake rebuild (ie. sanding disc and about two hours of "God, my effing shoulder!" on each drum), and
the beginnings of a whole new wiring harness.
Left to go on this:
-Rewire signals
-Replace and rewire horn
-Remove and re-paint exhaust
-Clean up corrosion on engine
-Remove oxidization from rear suspension
-Install heavier rear springs
-Replace steering bushings

After it's running safely and reliably on the street, this will become a slightly different kind of project.

I should note that most of the lights and indicators were sourced off of donor bikes from various locations.
I'm still working on trying to find a reference picture from when I first got it.

Cat, I could be wrong, god knows I'm no expert, but it looks to me like you have some stiffness left yet in those springs if you wind the adjusters to a firmer setting. In the pic appears to be set fairly "soft". Mind you I sure aint tellin you to forget actually puttin stiffer springs on it !

These springs are worn-out.

Here is my dt 250 for the streets... its not done yet but still in progress, thought you might enjoy seeing someone else with a dt

im hoping to get a dt250 this weekend, good to see other 250 2strokes!

Yeah, this is *definitely* exciting.

Now that we've got spring in February, I'm debating digging the thing out again to swap the main bearing, since it's gotten a bit growly.
I will probably be selling my Zookie at an inflated price once spring fever hits, to fund this build project, as I've decided that the little featherweight 2-stroke is made of sex.

this is awesome! i just got the exact same bike! i have plenty of extra parts if you need them. original bars, fron and rear fender, skid plate, airbox, ect.

We actually ditched the airbox in favor of the pod filter. It seems to run cleaner now and doesn't foul plugs anymore.

This one is becoming less of a restoration and more of a riding project bike. Current plans are to switch to street tires for summer riding, as they're a little more stable on the road.

It's supposed to get up to 70 tomorrow or Wednesday. Hard to believe as it's 15 and windy out right now, but that's not to say it hasn't happened a couple times already over the last month and a half.

hahahah that awesome man, i am making mine a cafe flat tracker bobber mix
so i did the exactly same shit, ditched th eairbox for a k&n air filter, street tires, no fenders, tracker seat, ect lol
update on your pictures mate!

A new update today.

Spent two hours on one of what is now FOUR DT250's.
Hadn't run in two years.
Rebuilt the points and the magneto to where it won't start yet, but it's got spark. Basically just a 29-cent keyway in the magneto and it's running.

Later then I spent three hours rebuilding the first '75 and completely reassembled it.

FOund out today that this bike is hemmoraging oil.

Debating swapping engines simply for the fact that I *have* other engines, and I do *not* have another loose shifter seal.

Today, I'm tracking down my oil leak. Lost about a pint overnight.

It's likely one of two places, either the shifter seal or the drain plug. If it's the drain plug, I'm gonna slap a Viton FE O-ring on it and be done. If that's it, I'm very fortunate.

If it's the shifter seal, it's a $7 part but has the potential to be a lot more labor.

check out where the head meets the core

First place I checked, it's all clean there.

There's good news though!

There was absolutely no gasket between the drain plug and the case. Smart money says that was the problem.

pfft * facepalm *

Well, maybe not *the* problem, but certainly *a* problem.

Anyone know how I'm supposed to check the oil in this thing?
My dad seems to think you pull the stick, wipe it, then just dunk it back into the case.
I always figured you had to screw it back in, then unscrew it to see the level.

Alright, determined now that the only oil leak left is one that appears to be coming from the seal directly behind the drive sprocket. THe downside is that it's exorbitantly difficult to get at. We haven't been able to pull it out even in one of the spare cases with an impact driver, so it's over our head.
THe upside?
It only leaks when it's leaning over to the left on its kickstand for more than a few minutes.

PICTURES!!!! haha

Managed to get the seals replaced from the outside yesterday. SOmehow. New thrust bushing and silicon'd the rubber seal holding it in place.
I do not anticipate further trouble with that particular seal.