Ok, picked up a pair of 1982 250WR's (Dick Burleson replica's) last weekend .There both low mileage,
all original & from what i think, were Father/son bikes, the seller said the original owner past away.
They hadn't been run in 10 years & the so both bikes piston rings were stuck. 1st off came the pipes, heads, carbs, etc, to make 100% sure it's the rings & not something else seized. Ok, after some research i decide to try to different method of un-sticking them.
1st bike i sprayed, PB blaster, & liquid wrench down the cylinder as both bikes pistons were about 1-1/2 inch from the top. The 2nd bike i mixed a 50/50 mix of ATF & acetone (nail polish remover). 1st bike had a 1day head start & i repeatedly filled them in the morning, after work & before bed each day for 3 days. Nothing really seems to be happening, they were still both locked solid, so
on the 1st bike, i started pouring distilled vinegar instead this morning, but continued the ATF mix on the 2nd, because it was a day behind.
2nd bike's ring broke loose this afternoon , after i bump into 2nd gear down my driveway, piston & cylinder look good, with no damage from rust.
1st bike still no luck, so i boiled some water & in the cylinder it went , before it cooled to much, down the driveway it went in 2nd gear, the piston moved to the top of the cylinder then stopped. So now it's locked up ..there, i think i'll take the clutch side cover & turn it from the crank nut
backwards, as i'm sure the clutch plates on both will need to be unstuck anyway.
Conclusion: both methods works after 3 days, but i didn't really feel that sure about pouring
water down the cylinder in the 1st place. Yeah i know water or humid caused it to rust, but
water in the cylinder just seemed wrong, but i wanted to follow the procedure i read to the letter.
I'll post my finding once i get the cylinder off the 1st bike.
Husky John
all original & from what i think, were Father/son bikes, the seller said the original owner past away.
They hadn't been run in 10 years & the so both bikes piston rings were stuck. 1st off came the pipes, heads, carbs, etc, to make 100% sure it's the rings & not something else seized. Ok, after some research i decide to try to different method of un-sticking them.
1st bike i sprayed, PB blaster, & liquid wrench down the cylinder as both bikes pistons were about 1-1/2 inch from the top. The 2nd bike i mixed a 50/50 mix of ATF & acetone (nail polish remover). 1st bike had a 1day head start & i repeatedly filled them in the morning, after work & before bed each day for 3 days. Nothing really seems to be happening, they were still both locked solid, so
on the 1st bike, i started pouring distilled vinegar instead this morning, but continued the ATF mix on the 2nd, because it was a day behind.
2nd bike's ring broke loose this afternoon , after i bump into 2nd gear down my driveway, piston & cylinder look good, with no damage from rust.

1st bike still no luck, so i boiled some water & in the cylinder it went , before it cooled to much, down the driveway it went in 2nd gear, the piston moved to the top of the cylinder then stopped. So now it's locked up ..there, i think i'll take the clutch side cover & turn it from the crank nut
backwards, as i'm sure the clutch plates on both will need to be unstuck anyway.
Conclusion: both methods works after 3 days, but i didn't really feel that sure about pouring
water down the cylinder in the 1st place. Yeah i know water or humid caused it to rust, but
water in the cylinder just seemed wrong, but i wanted to follow the procedure i read to the letter.
I'll post my finding once i get the cylinder off the 1st bike.
Husky John