1977 Suzuki PE250 restoration

[cdahl383]

Picked up a 1977 Suzuki PE250 a couple weekends ago.  The guy I bought it from bought it from the original owner back in 2011.  
 

Apparently it ran well for a few years but then crapped out.  The guy thought it was a bad stator.  Unfortunately when he attempted to pull the flywheel he mushroomed the crank end.  He got frustrated at that point and the bike sat for several years. 

The guy mentioned he was thinking of selling it on the PE Facebook group.  I asked where he was located, turns out he was literally in the next town over!   
 

I ended up picking it up a week after I talked to him.  He had the title and the original title from the original owner from 1977.  He also included a complete NOS gasket set, new stator, and a few other parts along with a manual.

Its in pretty rough shape.  It definitely needs some work, but it’s mostly complete.  All the hard to find parts are there like the speedometer, headlight, taillight, muffler, fuel tank, etc.  I figured it’s worth saving and would be fun.  I went through the same process with my 1978 PE250 last year, so I already have some extra parts and stuff.

Going to track my progress here.  Maybe a few people will find it interesting along the way haha!

[cdahl383]

Here’s what the crank looks like currently. Not useable, not enough threads left even if I cut off the messed up part.

[cdahl383]

Found a good used crank on eBay.  Threads all good, no up and down play on the rod, appears to be solid.

[cdahl383]

Dropped the engine off at the shop today along with the new crank, gasket set, seals, and stator.

Looked at the clutch last night and everything looks good.  Kickstarter gear is good, no missing teeth.

Unfortunately someone along the line welded the gear shift lever to the shaft.  But I did find a new shaft at a place over in the Netherlands, so I ordered that up along with a new cushion spacer and oil seal.

 

[motoxvet]

That crank can be saved by dremeling that mushroomed area off, THEN use a puller (I see the 3 holes) and maybe even apply some heat.  

[cdahl383]

2 minutes ago, motoxvet said:

That crank can be saved by dremeling that mushroomed area off, THEN use a puller (I see the 3 holes) and maybe even apply some heat.  

Maybe so.  There wouldn’t be many threads left though once I cut off the messed up part.  I figured might be better off starting with a crank that’s not butchered up.

[Turboloader]

32 minutes ago, cdahl383 said:

Picked up a 1977 Suzuki PE250 a couple weekends ago.  The guy I bought it from bought it from the original owner back in 2011.  
 

Apparently it ran well for a few years but then crapped out.  The guy thought it was a bad stator.  Unfortunately when he attempted to pull the flywheel he mushroomed the crank end.  He got frustrated at that point and the bike sat for several years. 

The guy mentioned he was thinking of selling it on the PE Facebook group.  I asked where he was located, turns out he was literally in the next town over!   
 

I ended up picking it up a week after I talked to him.  He had the title and the original title from the original owner from 1977.  He also included a complete NOS gasket set, new stator, and a few other parts along with a manual.

Its in pretty rough shape.  It definitely needs some work, but it’s mostly complete.  All the hard to find parts are there like the speedometer, headlight, taillight, muffler, fuel tank, etc.  I figured it’s worth saving and would be fun.  I went through the same process with my 1978 PE250 last year, so I already have some extra parts and stuff.

Going to track my progress here.  Maybe a few people will find it interesting along the way haha!

I see what you are doing, your are fashion co-ordinating your pe's with the club cadet lawn tractor there. LOL! Fashion, fashion. I do hope you get a nice yellow Bell ray Helmet, and yellow zuke- pants and jersey to match. Just razzing you, your garage looks pretty cool with your off road hot rods!?

[Turboloader]

Bro, go for it, 2 bikes are better than one, and remember, if one breaks down, grab the other one and go roost and have a blast!!

[motoxvet]

I saw you found a crank before I finished posting my answer.  Someone will still have to get that flywheel off!

[cdahl383]

20 minutes ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

I see what you are doing, your are fashion co-ordinating your pe's with the club cadet lawn tractor there. LOL! Fashion, fashion. I do hope you get a nice yellow Bell ray Helmet, and yellow zuke- pants and jersey to match. Just razzing you, your garage looks pretty cool with your off road hot rods!?

Haha yeah!  Gotta look good riding right haha!  I have a thing for bright colors.  Nova is orange, challenger is green, dirt bikes are yellow, riding mower is yellow haha!

[cdahl383]

4 minutes ago, motoxvet said:

I saw you found a crank before I finished posting my answer.  Someone will still have to get that flywheel off!

Oh yeah I know.  The shop owner said he’d take care of it.  They were great with my 78 last year, did good work.

[Turboloader]

54 minutes ago, cdahl383 said:

Dropped the engine off at the shop today along with the new crank, gasket set, seals, and stator.

Looked at the clutch last night and everything looks good.  Kickstarter gear is good, no missing teeth.

Unfortunately someone along the line welded the gear shift lever to the shaft.  But I did find a new shaft at a place over in the Netherlands, so I ordered that up along with a new cushion spacer and oil seal.

 

Gotta love the Bag Pipe playing Scotties for inventing the mighty 2 stroke engine, good old Dugald Clerk, and props for his invention, blue smoke for-ever!!!

[cdahl383]

1 minute ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

Gotta love the Bag Pipe playing Scotties for inventing the mighty 2 stroke engine, good old Dugald Clerk, and props for his invention, blue smoke for-ever!!!

Hell yeah!  Two strokes are fun!  

[Turboloader]

Just now, cdahl383 said:

Hell yeah!  Two strokes are fun!  

Lots of power for a simply-complex-genus engine. Let me find a nice 2 stroke RC bird thats nitro powered for you, with those zany Slovenia brothers, The Mighty Petrincic bros extra ultra special Slovenian Video movie picture. LOL. Check it out, fellow 2 stroke lover...

 

[cdahl383]

14 minutes ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

Lots of power for a simply-complex-genus engine. Let me find a nice 2 stroke RC bird thats nitro powered for you, with those zany Slovenia brothers, The Mighty Petrincic bros extra ultra special Slovenian Video movie picture. LOL. Check it out, fellow 2 stroke lover...

 

Haha that’s awesome!  Looks like fun!

[Turboloader]

Just now, cdahl383 said:

Haha that’s awesome!  Looks like fun!

It is, lets see, bro, some more nitro rc fun...

 

[cdahl383]

Stripping the spray paint off of the side covers.  Brake fluid didn’t seem to work at all but the oven cleaner seems to be working well.  Already took a layer or two of paint off.  Looks like they’ve been painted with 50 coats of paint!

 

[Pigsfly]

Good job there son bringing that old girl back to life. I do Like a good restoring topic,????

[cdahl383]

24 minutes ago, CRJohnny said:

Good job there son bringing that old girl back to life. I do Like a good restoring topic,????

That’s the plan!  Hope to get it back on the trails soon!  

[Turboloader]

14 hours ago, cdahl383 said:

Stripping the spray paint off of the side covers.  Brake fluid didn’t seem to work at all but the oven cleaner seems to be working well.  Already took a layer or two of paint off.  Looks like they’ve been painted with 50 coats of paint!

 

I always wondered why folks paint these "rubberized" plastic parts? I think its youngins back in the day, with nothing better to do. Big bucks daddy buys em a $2000 dirt bike, and they have at it with a rattle can. Heck even I knew, back in the day, that paint dosnt work with these plastics. I call them "Tear away" plastics, because once you rip up you scoot, during a race, you pull off the damaged plastics, and put some new ones on em. Off road closed course trucks have/had them for many decades, and its the same with the bikes. People dont paint these plastics.....