Bodges don't you love em?

[gravelrash 0]

Been doing a bit of work to a Kawasaki ER5. I bought it possibly for my daughter after she passes her mod2 or for a winter hack for me. It has a world of issues but I'm slowly working through them. Its not a project so I'll leave that section to the Ian's (madcarper) of this world    but this is just one of the bodges I have come across

These are the wires for the regulator/rectifier held in with mastic, while I was doing the carb balancing and turned the idling up they started smoking like Mark and Dick on our last rideout  Its the wrong one for the bike so a second hand one is winging its way courtesy of Ebay

This is the bike, so far I have sprayed black the front forks, footrest hangers, radiator shroud and swinging arm. I have renewed the throttle cables, mirrors, indicators, coolant, oil/filter, air filter, plugs, carbs balanced and brakes overhauled. Oh! and new carbon bar end weights which Mark (haveugot1) really hates!  
Can't seem to get the rev counter working its electronic and with ignition on it rises to 2000 revs and that's it doesn't fluctuate with engine running or not so any advice would be appreciated although I'm not to bothered. Like I said I don't feel its worthy of the project section but I will post any more daft bodges I find as I come across them.

[dick65 0]

  
nice work mike - I love fettling m8  
is the throttle cable affecting the speedo  
like the work so far mike  

[gravelrash 0]

@dick65 wrote:

  
nice work mike - I love fettling m8  
is the throttle cable affecting the speedo   
like the work so far mike  

It is nice to just tinker in the garage when I have some spare time Dick,very therapeutic!
Its the rev counter that not working correctly, there must be an electronic pick-up for it somewhere but I'm buggered if I can find it.

[dick65 0]

i'm sure someone will know mike but it is therapeutic just tinkering  

[madsod 0]

i like get it right but yes some people just don.t have a clue , still one step at a time ,  

[haveugot1 0]

Yeah I hate them bar end weights mike. NOT:suspect:  

[dick65 0]

i'm sure you will suss it mike   

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

Nice 1  mike , bet you will get to the bottom of it one way or 
another

[gravelrash 0]

Thanks everyone   its just something to mess with in my spare time. Just wish it was an RD350LC      

[dick65 0]

@gravelrash wrote:

Thanks everyone   its just something to mess with in my spare time. Just wish it was an RD350LC      

  

[fr499y 0]

Can't remember if its the GS or the ER that has the rev counter pickup at the front of the engine? could be the cable itself that's broken

[jezza 0]

I have a feeling that the rev counter runs from the cdi on these . I notice you mentioned it has had problems with reg/rec wire fitment, this may be the cause as it may have failed in the past and been replaced however it may of cooked the rev counter before replacement ....... just a thought.

[gravelrash 0]

@jezza wrote:

I have a feeling that the rev counter runs from the cdi on these . I notice you mentioned it has had problems with reg/rec wire fitment, this may be the cause as it may have failed in the past  and  been replaced however it may of cooked the rev counter before replacement ....... just a thought.

Thanks Jezza I think you are right    according to the wiring manual the rev counter wiring does indeed go to the cdi then there is another feed to a pick-up coil. It was the wrong regulator for the bike and the wires had melted at the block connector I now have the correct one fitted and a healthy 14.4v at approx 3000 revs. Skelly (Alan) has an old rev counter off something so am going to try and connect this up and try to eliminate either the wiring or rev counter to be the problem  

@ fr499y - Matt had a look can't see anything like a pickup at the front and am getting power to the needle as it rises to 2000 revs as soon as the ignition is switched on, so don't think it is a broken wire  (but what do I know lol) I do not believe it is supposed to rise like this and think Jezza could be right about the rev counter electronics being damaged due to the wrong rectifier/regulator fitted  anyway as and when i find the cause I will post up   (if it was my Bandit I would be more concerned  )

[dick65 0]

have you balanced the carbs mike?
because my old 900 would shoot to over 5000 revs when started up  
that was because the adjuster screws were tight down
just something else to rule out

(I see you have done the carbs  )

[fr499y 0]

@gravelrash wrote:

@jezza wrote:

I have a feeling that the rev counter runs from the cdi on these . I notice you mentioned it has had problems with reg/rec wire fitment, this may be the cause as it may have failed in the past  and  been replaced however it may of cooked the rev counter before replacement ....... just a thought.

Thanks Jezza I think you are right    according to the wiring manual the rev counter wiring does indeed go to the cdi then there is another feed to a pick-up coil. It was the wrong regulator for the bike and the wires had melted at the block connector I now have the correct one fitted and a healthy 14.4v at approx 3000 revs. Skelly (Alan) has an old rev counter off something so am going to try and connect this up and try to eliminate either the wiring or rev counter to be the problem  

@ fr499y - Matt had a look can't see anything like a pickup at the front and am getting power to the needle as it rises to 2000 revs as soon as the ignition is switched on, so don't think it is a broken wire  (but what do I know lol) I do not believe it is supposed to rise like this and think Jezza could be right about the rev counter electronics being damaged due to the wrong rectifier/regulator fitted  anyway as and when i find the cause I will post up   (if it was my Bandit I would be more concerned  )

Yes jezza is right, its the GS with the cable i was thinking of!

[gravelrash 0]

 

[fr499y 0]

Just a thought, but the gpz500 cdi would fit the er5 ( i know the older ones do fit the older ER's ) if they are cheaper to get a hold of?