Odd electrical problem after rebuild

[rebelpacket]

Howdy folks!

I recently finished rebuilding my '98 Monster with a new frame ('95).  I carefully ran and wired everything following the previous layout on the frame.  Grounding connection under the airbox, and a connection grounding the motor to the frame on the right hand side rearsets.  I finally managed to put some gas in it and get out to hear her run again.  Turned the ignition on, tested the electrics, and everything worked great.  Put the choke on, thumbed the starter, and got about two or three revolutions, before it stopped. 

Odd, I tried to start it again, and was only rewarded with the 'click' of the starter solenoid.  I figured it was pretty odd for it to go right as I was starting it up, but considered it an odd coincidence.  I pulled the solenoid off my '95 SS, and put it on the Monster to go again. 

So with the 'used' solenoid, I attempted to start it up.  The motor would turn just fine, but didn't catch.  I pulled the plugs to determine if it had flooded or not, but couldn't even smell gas!  So I opened the drains on the carbs, and got some fuel spilling out.  I put the plugs back in, and in my haste (it was a long day at work), I then attempted to start the bike with one of the spark plug boots off.  The motor turned over three revolutions, and then stopped.  When I pressed the starter again, I only heard a click.

I know its bad to not let the coil ground, but I'm at a loss at how I could be going through solenoids like this.  Anyone have a place I could look to see if I messed up an electrical connection thats somehow causing this monster to gobble up solenoids? 

Thanks for any insight you can shed, I'm a little frustrated at the moment.

[dlearl476]

First off, I would suspect your battery.  How long did the rebuild take?
Sitting around on a partial charge for a couple of months will sulfate the hell out of a battery.  Take a reading at rest (may be 12+V) then one under load (when the solenoid "clicks") If it's below 10V, your battery is toast.
Even if you charged your battery to 12V before installing it, under load it may crap out.

[rebelpacket]

Battery is new, and charged.  I did notice that when the solenoid went bad, the Oil Pressure Light stopped lighting up when I turn the key. 

I'll check the voltage to the solenoid.  Man its a pain to get to that thing with the vacuum pump right in the way.

[rebelpacket]

Ahh, damn.  This was a stupid issue.  Bad ground under the airbox meant the starter motor didn't have a ground.  Solenoid was good all along, and the monster purred to life.   Thanks for the help!