I have used the K&N on a 1976 DT250C, the bike ran fine and it did not seem to have any tuning issues, when I bought the bike it did not have a filter assembly at all and at the time I was unable to source the oem filter support screen or I would have gone the oem filter route, the K&N does not use the oem screen. The UNI filter comes with their own version of a filter support screen, I have not used a UNI so I can’t comment there.

The K&N does not cause running issues that I'm aware of but has been known to allow fine silt through into the engine. A dirty K&N (still oiled with K&N oil) actually filters better than a new one.

If I had no cage, I'd probably choose the K&N over the UNI. Or I'd use the UNI cage with an OEM element. Some have also reported trimming the UNI foam so it's not two full layers... that is supposed to work as well.

I installed all the bearings using the heat and freeze method. Worked pretty well but only a couple just fell in, the rest required tapping to one extent or the other. Had a very nervous moment when one of the more delicate roller bearings stopped dead when only about half way home. Had to wack it harder than I wanted but I knew getting it back out in one piece would be next to impossible so had little choice but to keep on going. Fortunately it hit home without any damage. which is when I started breathing again...

Cylinder and crank back from Bill Bunes and everything looks great. Big thank you to them!

Brought all engine parts into the house today and sorted them all out according to their respective assembly stage. I'm going at this as methodically as possible and taking every precaution to prevent me from screwing something up during reassembly. I know that putting one of these together is routine stuff to some of you but it's got me terrified. What I wouldn't give for an old hand standing by to help navigate. But I've gone over every step three or four times and finally feeling like I can do this. I have a plan that I'll write out and post here in a day or two.

You're doing the 6 P's!
Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!
Your prior research & planning will guide you right!

Left or right side installation?
The service manual says to install everything to the left side of crankcase and I think that's the way I'm gonna go but I've noticed that several here install to the right side and I'm wondering what the reason is for that. I've made several trial runs putting mine together both ways. For me installing the trans and related parts is much easier to the left side. I haven't done any practice runs with the crank but can't see either side being much harder than the other as far as the crank installation goes. Could be wrong about that so please let me know if you're aware of complications that might arise.

As for the transmission and related parts, on the left I can install the two shafts as a unit and can then install the forks with their pins and the drum individually, one at a time. That's much easier for me than trying to hold all those parts together at the same time and installing as a unit. Even after I've fumbled around long enough to get everything where it belongs, I've had things fall apart while trying to fit the two halves together. I dread the thought of that happening during the actual assembly, especially with Yamabond drying while I scramble to put everything back together.

Took the fuel petcock off the tank today and soaked it in Evaporust which I bought per Pedalcrazy's advice. I only bought a gallon as I don't have that many parts to clean yet but wanted to try it. It is just as you said Pedalcrazy, fantastic stuff. Just wish I had used it throughout the whole process. Next time!

I think I mentioned awhile back that I had found a brass tube inside the fuel tank during the de-rusting process. I had suspected it must be part of the petcock and it was. I found the remaining stub still stuck in the valve body. I removed it easily with a 1/4 inch easy out and plan to just use the end that fell out of the tank when I put it back together. It'll be a half inch shorter but I don't see where that would be a problem. And I learned something too. I've wondered how the reserve system worked, and now I know, pretty cool.
The reserve outlet was completely clogged up and took some poking around with a pic to get a hole punched through it. But a couple hours in the Evaporust took care of what was left.


I also started working on the front wheel. It's pretty rough looking but cleaning up pretty well.

Bearings seem to be in good shape so I don't plan to replace them unless I notice a problem once I start riding it again. No missing or loose spokes either so other than clean them up not much else planned there either. I'll check it out to make sure it runs true but don't really expect any problems. Rims have some rust but not horrible considering all. I'll just clean them up best I can and go with that. Gonna have to spring for some tires though. The old ones still hold air but weather-checked and badly cracked. New brakes too for sure.

Hi Jack, I didn’t know I could read the manual here for free when I did my engine so I ended up putting it together in the right side. I did it that way because the crank puller I made only worked on the smaller left side of the crank. I did the heat /freeze to install the right bearing and crankshaft then put the bearing in the left case and pulled the left crank end in with the puller. It all seemed to work with no trouble. I thought it was easier to get the kickstart spring assembly in on the right too. Found a silencer on eBay from a 75 DT250 that came today, fit right on and quieted it down quite a bit. Got to my first 100 miles today and running really good. I might do the tires this weekend, mine are old and weather checked bad too. I bought a pair of Kenda’s on eBay for 100 bucks with free shipping. They call them dual sport but are more on the knobby side if you ask me, I think they should be fine for my kind of riding though.

Glad to hear your bike is up and running Dave. I'm hoping to have mine going by the time spring rolls around. Not sure I'll make that, still have a lot to do, but that's what I'm aiming for.

On the manual, I use the one on the site all the time when I'm here in the house but I bought a tattered old Clymers on ebay for 12 bucks that I keep in the shop. There were several on ebay at the time I bought mine.

Thanks for the information on your install. Not set in stone yet but I'm pretty sure I'm going to install from the left side, just because I've had less trouble that way when I've made my practice runs. I already have my crank in the freezer and probably won't actually do the reassembly until late next week. I want it as cold as I can possibly get it. I don't think I can heat the bearing up since all I have to heat it with would be with Acetyene torch or propane cylinder and I'm afraid of an open flame damaging the seal. Just hoping freezing the shaft will be enough to get the left side seated. I started making a crank puller just today and almost had it finished but got side tracked like I often do, and never got back to it. I'll finish it in the morning.

That sounds like a good deal on the Kenda's. Been preoccupied with the engine so haven't checked into tires yet but remember reading that someone else here ran Kendas. I'll check em out once I get the engine back together.

Finished the crank puller today. Had to make a second one after I realized I'd made the puller end too small to fit over the crank nut. First mistake I've made since,,, yesterday......... Kept the first one anyway, it may fit the little XR 100 or who knows what down the road.

Stole ideas from everywhere and ended up building it out of some old plumbing fixtures, a few flat washers, and some allthread. Had everything laying around so all it cost me was a little time and a couple welding rods.

Put a few nuts & bolts in the Evaporust to soak but other than that and finishing the puller didn't do much else in the shop today due to the cold rainy weather we're having. I did spend some time researching tires but haven't made up my mind yet. I'd like to stay as close as possible to what's on there right now and having some trouble finding that.

Had some left over blue I'd used to paint go-kart rims last year so used that on the puller.

I've been wondering what to do with my handlebars as they had quite a lot of surface rust on them with some pitting here and there. I'd already decided not to re-chrome due to the fact that restoring everything to flawless condition is way over my budget which exploded several purchases ago anyway. So like it or not I'm having to make compromises with some things. not re-chroming the handlers and other chrome parts is one of the compromises I'm willing to make.

I was considering trying the nickleplating but have zero experience with it and had just about ruled it out.

I had almost decided to use 0000 steel wool which I've used before so knew it did a fairly decent job but did leave some scratch marks behind. Did a little research on cleaning up chrome last night and watched a vid of a guy cleaning up his chrome using aluminum foil. I'd never heard of that before but the fact that he said it didn't scratch the chrome and also because it was cheap won me over. So early this morning I crept into the kitchen and steathily made off with a nice big swath of it.

It worked for me pretty much like it did on the video and cleaned things up pretty well. Took a bit longer than it would've with steel wool but didn't leave any new scratches that I could see. When I'd done all I could with it I brought the bars over to the house and got out the Mother Mag polish and buffed the heck out of it and it came out pretty good, not perfect for sure, not even close, but a huge improvement. I'd love to have them sparkling like new but I can live with them as they are now.