gsx550 starting probs

[tdub]

just wondering if your solenoid is dead, will the bike be able to run if i bypass it with a screw driver? i have had it hit and miss with it starting on the button and have had to cross out the solenoid get it to run. all i can hear/ feel is a click from it half the time..... however i have had it running a few times and now i cant get it to fire .... it stopped starting so i did the carb rip down and and jet clean ect. cause i didnt do it yet and i thought it would help...
i know its getting fuel but i dont know if i should try replacing the solenoid before going farther...
ps i tried a few lil squirts of quick start and still nothing which leads me to believe its not getting and spark

[tdub]

ps its a 1986 gsx 550ef

[duaneage]

The solenoids almost never go bad, they usually lose the little ground wire or the plate they are mounted to gets ungrounded. Run a dedicated wire to the solenoid mounting bolts and the - battery terminal, then touch the yellow /green stripe wire to the battery + and see if it cranks . If it does your solenoid is fine and the problem lies with either the switch gear or kill switch having a bad connection.

Also the clutch lever has a switch with the same color wires as the solenoid activation lead, that is another common problem as well.

[tdub]

thanks i will try some of those thing and see what i can come up with but i am still wondering if it will prevent the bike from running ??
without the solenoid grounded/connected/function correctly ?
as i said, i can get it to turn just not start so far.......