Topic: silicon diode?

[cafe2be]

What exactly does a silicon diode do? My bike is a 77 cb750f. I removed all of the signals so far from the harness. I notice that the light green/red wire from the neutral indictor light leads into the diode. Can I simply remove it? I am looking to clean up the harness as much as possible and want to eliminate what I can.

Thanks

[mystic_1]

The diode keeps your neutral light from coming on when you're in gear with the clutch pulled in.  Otherwise the safety interlock that keeps you from starting the bike in gear would cause misbehavior of the neutral light.

mystic_1

[cafe2be]

gotcha sounds like a good reason to keep it. Thanks!

[mystic_1]

If you're looking to strip down the bike as much as possible for that minimalist aesthetic, you can do away with the whole safety interlock and diode arrangement.  Downside is that it'll then be possible to engage the starter when you're in gear or drive off with the kickstand down.  Rewiring would be required to do this on your bike, but earlier 750's didn't have these systems at all.

mystic_1

[cafe2be]

mystic, I believe the whole neutral safety switch is gone already. The bike starts while in gear as is do to the PO. Since this is the case can I remove it. I am looking to have the neutral light stil come on. Not concerned with the safety switch anymore. If I remove the diode do I risk loosing the neutral warning light?
 

[mystic_1]

Well, if that's the case then sure, you can probably get rid of the diode, but you'd have to study the wiring diagram to really be sure.

In the end you should be left with just the neutral switch (which is on the bottom of the motor) connected directly to the neutral indicator light on the dash.

mystic_1

[cafe2be]

I got that down. The wire leads from the light into the alt harness in the motor. Before getting into that harness the wire Ts off and leads into the silicon diode. The diode has a light green (neutral light) and a dark green that leads to the starter motor. Believe that dark green is just a ground wire.

[mystic_1]

Go to this thread in the FAQ section:

Manuals FAQ

At the bottom of the first post, get the K8/F3 manual.

Look at page 191 of the PDF, it has an excellent diagram of the system.

mystic_1