Looking for opinions on pistons and cylinder condition

[SoCal250]

Thanks for the replies, got it exactly right. The bike starts perfect, idles perfect, runs perfect... been riding it a ton the last couple days, so satisfying.

Nice! Congrats

[LexPaul]

Based on what I'm seeing in your photos and your explanation of the issue, I'd say your mechanic's advice was 100% wrong. It would be under-oiling not over-oiling! Not sure what logic he was using.

I would leave the pump in place and use it. No need to try some mickey mouse bypassing.

Get a new pump cable. Your DS7 should be the "old style" as used on the DS7 & R5: 278-26321-00-00 CABLE, PUMP
(Not the later cable version 521-26321-00 used with mid-75 model year and up pumps, assuming your pump is original. Refer to Tech Bulletin M8-015C).

Once you've replaced the cable and adjusted it properly then test your pump stroke again. Adding a shim will fix it if it's under the spec. Shims are readily available in several thicknesses and super easy to install. Just take the nut off the pulley, remove the pulley from the shaft, add your shim to the stack under the pulley, and reinstall the pulley.

In addition to the cable damage where the housing fits into the adjuster, it also looks like someone added a new end on it. At least that's what it looks like in your photo. As it rotates that blob (circled in red) will interfere with the roll pin preventing the pulley from rotating as it should.
Also it looks like someone has been messing with the pin (yellow circle). Make sure it's in there tight. But don't push it in too far. I think 4 mm is max, or about 6mm showing (from memory) or the plunger will bind.

How does one get that pin out, for the purpose of rebuilding the pump, which is what I am doing now? Does the pin fir back in easily during reassembly?

[SoCal250]

Based on what I'm seeing in your photos and your explanation of the issue, I'd say your mechanic's advice was 100% wrong. It would be under-oiling not over-oiling! Not sure what logic he was using.

I would leave the pump in place and use it. No need to try some mickey mouse bypassing.

Get a new pump cable. Your DS7 should be the "old style" as used on the DS7 & R5: 278-26321-00-00 CABLE, PUMP
(Not the later cable version 521-26321-00 used with mid-75 model year and up pumps, assuming your pump is original. Refer to Tech Bulletin M8-015C).

Once you've replaced the cable and adjusted it properly then test your pump stroke again. Adding a shim will fix it if it's under the spec. Shims are readily available in several thicknesses and super easy to install. Just take the nut off the pulley, remove the pulley from the shaft, add your shim to the stack under the pulley, and reinstall the pulley.

In addition to the cable damage where the housing fits into the adjuster, it also looks like someone added a new end on it. At least that's what it looks like in your photo. As it rotates that blob (circled in red) will interfere with the roll pin preventing the pulley from rotating as it should.
Also it looks like someone has been messing with the pin (light blue circle). Make sure it's in there tight. But don't push it in too far. I think 4 mm is max, or about 6mm showing (from memory) or the plunger will bind.

How does one get that pin out, for the purpose of rebuilding the pump, which is what I am doing now? Does the pin fir back in easily during reassembly?

The pin is a 2mm diameter by 10mm length roll pin. It's a press fit into the hole. To remove, just pull it out.

Your pin looks pretty beat up and may not be reusable. In fact it almost appears as if it's not the correct pin. Usually If it's not too mangled it can be reused, provided it has enough girth to produce a tight fit when tapping it back in during reassembly. If it's too compressed you can carefully spread the split groove open again with a tiny screwdriver, knife blade, or similar. As mentioned previously, don't go more than about 4.0 to 4.5 mm insertion into the bore when reinstalling it or it will drag on the plunger shaft.

Also BTW, later pumps use a small threaded screw instead of a roll pin to retain the pulley.