Help identify this part and where it's SUPPOSED to 'live' on my bike.

Discussion in 'Texas Bikers' started by Deven Knight, Nov 25, 2005.

  1. Deven Knight

    Deven Knight Guest

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

    It's time for me to pick your brains,

    As I posted a while back I bought a used 2002 Kawasaki Mean Streak. I
    decided to go back to the factory exhaust system because the pipes on the
    bike basically had No Cat and were super short. They stopped at the rear
    foot peg.
    Today, while installing the catalytic converter, I found a 'box' made of
    some aluminum alloy mounted vertically to the frame in the area where the
    cat was supposed to go. I thought maybe it was something that belonged
    there. However, after further inspection I found that it was actually held
    in place with plastic zip ties. The cat would not go on with the 'box'
    there. so I have temporarily moved it out of the way.

    The unit is made completely of some aluminum alloy and has fins molded
    into the cover. It has a group of 5 or 6 wires coming out if it. They are
    covered in thin flexible black plastic tubing. I am not sure where this box
    belongs. I'm guessing it's part of the ignition system.

    If my digital camera was working I'd post a picture of it. I cannot ride
    my bike until I figure out what this unit is and where it needs to go.

    Please HELP!
    -=Deven Knight=-
     
    Deven Knight, Nov 25, 2005
    #1
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  2. Deven Knight

    Bobbie Guest

    Sounds like it might be your rectifier / regulator module.
    It needs to be on your motorcycle.

    What do I win?


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    The ideal engineer is a composite ... He is not a scientist, he is not a
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    Bobbie, Nov 25, 2005
    #2
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  3. Does the bike have a chain oiler installed? That could be the control
    module for it.

    pierce
     
    R. Pierce Butler, Nov 25, 2005
    #3
  4. Some bikes come with a cat and since he want to put it back to stock....

    pierce
     
    R. Pierce Butler, Nov 25, 2005
    #4
  5. Deven Knight

    Bill Walker Guest

    <chuckle> We're just not used to seeing catalytic converters on motorcycles
    in Texas.. They've been requiring them California for a long time. They are
    going to become a more common sight, though..

    Bill Walker
     
    Bill Walker, Nov 25, 2005
    #5
  6. Go to www.partsfish.com and register so you can look at the parts
    diagrams. Look at the electrical diagrams and you'll probably see that
    you are describing the rectifier regulator unit.

    Does the aluminum gizmo have two holes in it, on the long axis? My
    Kawasaki uses only ONE screw, the other screw has pin on the metal
    plate it attaches to occupying the other hole.

    The rectifier regulator unit is supposed to be attached to a metal
    plate so it can get rid of the EXCESS HEAT it generates. If the
    aluminum gizmo didn't get HOT, it wouldn't have FINS on it.

    There are six diodes and a silicon control rectifier in there that work
    by getting HOT. The heat has to go somewhere, that's why it's bolted it
    a plate. You will even see some
    rectifier regulators installed with white heat sink compound to help
    get rid of heat.

    You can probably get heat sink compound at Radio Shack when you decide
    install the rectifier regulator properly.
     
    Screamun Eagul, Nov 25, 2005
    #6
  7. Deven Knight

    Polarhound Guest

    If brains were cotton, you couldn't tampon a termite.

    Nyah nyah.
     
    Polarhound, Nov 26, 2005
    #7
  8. It might not be a bad idea to cut the guy a little slack. If his
    experience is limited then so be it but that is no reason to insult him
    for his ignorance. Ignorance is easy remedied.

    pierce
     
    R. Pierce Butler, Nov 26, 2005
    #8
  9. We used to remove cats so we could run cheaper leaded gas, but since that is
    no longer available in the US, removing the cat serves no purpose.
     
    Stupendous Man, Nov 26, 2005
    #9

  10. Brian,

    Just a couple of questions.

    Why do most plumbers work on plumbing and never touch electrical items?

    Let's say the guy is a reasonable mechanic and never worked on a motorcycle
    before. Would you make the same assertion that he not install his exhaust
    system on a motorcycle even if he asked "what the hell is that box for and
    where is it supposed to go"?

    If he has zero experience working on a motorcycle, just what would you have
    him do to gain that experience?

    As for your comments regarding "the trashy fuckheads from rec.moto" who you
    say are "fucking sissies", well I certainly hope you are referring to a
    subset of those that post to the newsgroup. There certainly are a few
    jerks in every newsgroup and there are even some mentally unstable persons
    in some newsgroups as well, but describing them in such a crude manner
    invites and entices them.

    pierce
     
    R. Pierce Butler, Nov 26, 2005
    #10
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