Starting issues, solenoid smoking

[DBSS_Gohan]

I've got a 1985 GS550ES, and I was just getting it back together tonight, to see how the bike ran with the fuel tank clean, and new plugs, and the carbs clean, and as I'm starting it... it basicly didn't seem like it had enough power to start.... So I put a battery box on the battery, and started again, it did about the same thing, then it started going and going, like... the button caught or something, even when I wasent trying to turn it over, it kept going, and going, durring this process, I started to smell something funny, I disconnected the battery, checked everything, couldent find anything wrong, so attempted to start again after reconnecting, and I got smoke comming up off the solenoid. Does that mean theres a bad solenoid? So now basicly, the bikes got power, but if you press the start button, it goes dead. I tried jumping the solenoid, but that didn't work. just a lot of sparks. Any ideas?

--John

[psyguy]

Does that mean theres a bad solenoid? So now basicly, the bikes got power, but if you press the start button, it goes dead. I tried jumping the solenoid, but that didn't work. just a lot of sparks. Any ideas?

--John

soundoes sound like a bad solenoid

i would check to see if the power gets to the solenoid (take the wire off it) when you press the start button
hope it does, means you havent fried anything else

check the ignition fuse - it should have gone dead

i think you can test if the starter is ok by temporarily running a direct line from the battery (using a thick and fused wire)

[psyguy]

oh, yes, forgot to say, welcome to the gsr :-D

[DBSS_Gohan]

ty, and I got it back together now, New solenoid on, It will turn over and crank now, but this one problem.... it won't fire now. Won't start. I'm trying to figure out what could be wrong. I've got spark and fuel... I didn't attach the 2 extra drains from the fuel tank yet, but I figured they arnt important concidering I just want to see how it runs right now. Either way, it's not firing, I'm fairly certain it's getting fuel, I know it's getting spark.... and it's turning over. Any ideas what could be wrong?
ty

--John

[psyguy]

tyI didn't attach the 2 extra drains from the fuel tank yet,

not sure what you re talking about here - the fuel tap vacuum hose has to be attached to get fuel, or if using the tap on "prime" the vacuum port has to be sealed off
you can take the sparkplugs out after cranking to see if they are wet (sign of getting the fuel in), you would also smell some unburnt petrol from the exhaust
another prob may be having too old fuel

[thewiz]

Check ignition fuse. First things first. Look carefully or replace

[psyguy]

Check ignition fuse. First things first. Look carefully or replace

he says he gets spark