quick thread - what part is this?
 

from a 96 f3 cbr 600

Looks like the fuel pump & housing.

Sorry should have circled it.

It's the solenoid valve from the air intakes. Part #18 off the Ron Ayer's microfiche

The low speed intakes and the ram duct connect to the 2 on the left side and the single right hose goes to the carbs. It switches between the air intake systems based on speed. I believe the wire connector links into the speedo somehow (which is why mine doesn't work). I bypassed it

yeah, definitely looks like that and not the fuel pump, that's for air.

In a way it does. Those wires go to the Air Vent Control Relay. The AVCR is turned on and off by a circuit in the speedometer. When your bike reaches 12 mph, power is applied to the AVCR, which in turn removes power from the Air Vent Control Solinoid Valve. Basically this means that the valve in question is only turned on below 12 mph. So with the wires disconnected and the bike above 12 mph, everything is normal. Below 12 mph you might have hesitation or surging during acceleration.

The way I bypassed it, air is fed from the ram duct all the time. Maybe when I get the F4i cluster and new wire harness in, the speedo will work and I can reintegrate the solenoid back into the system.

When I jetted my bike, the DJ kit came with instructions on how to properly bypass the solenoid. Tho it warned the mod was intended for racing.