Bad Fuel

[ISP-FL]

Beware: fuel purchased at BP, 2854 Winfield Dunn Parkway, Kodak TN, yesterday. When we pulled in we noticed that about half the pumps were bagged and not in use. We should have went to another station.

Camped in Dandridge with 3 other TGs for a week of riding the Smokies. We all stopped for fuel yesterday morning at this BP. I put about 4 gallons in (2016 TG), both of them put between 3 and 4 gallons in (2018 TGs). Besides different motors obviously, they are stock and mine has aftermarket pipes and a tank lift.

We rode about 50 miles to Deal's Gap and did the Dragon. Mine ran okay but one of the 2018's seemed "a little off". We ate lunch and took a break at the restaurant there and 20 miles later mine began missing badly along with one of the other's. The other 2018 never did really run bad. We think he probably put in less fuel than us.

Stopped at a Shell in Cherokee and could add about 3 gallons plus some fuel additive. Put another 50 miles on but mine still missed alot and the other 2018 was just slightly better. This morning mine started and idled great so far.

We are heading out for another 4 or 5 hours of riding in the area and hoping by adding more good fuel and maybe a little Heet all will be good.

What say ye? Can bad fuel do permanent damage to injectors? Was this probably just some water in their fuel?

 

[Burnerboy]

Yep!

Sounds like H2O, in fuel tanks

 

[rhino 2]

More than likely just water.....Put in some Sea-Foam or similar gas treatment then after about 50 miles or so top off with fresh gas.... I don't think there will be any damage, Usually if theres enough water in the tank to do any damage, It would have stopped running in 50 miles or less....:Shrug:

 

[graygoat]

Dilution is the solution to pollution! Adding more fresh gas when you can should help. Good luck.

 

[ISP-FL]

When I started it up about 9am it ran good. We took off and rode until about 11, then stopped for about an hour. After taking off again it started missing. Stopped at Shell and put 3.7 gallons in plus some fuel treatment. Rode about 15 miles to RV and still missing badly. I’m going to let it cool down and check plugs, cleaner and anything else simple/obvious. It just seems like it should be diluted enough with fresh fuel now to be okay but it isn’t. Plus it seems strange it would run okay for a couple hours and then after a hour break run like crap?

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Ok this could be unrealated to the fuel but check and make sure you dont have a plug wire chaffing,my sons 15 Road Glide had a miss and it would come and go sure enough it was cross arcing on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Joe, just for grins run a scan on your trike

It may pick up what cylinder is causing you grief

Look here

https://www.fuelmotousa.com/p-29661-harley-trouble-codes.html

 

[rhino 2]

If at least two bikes have the same problem after getting gas....Then its the gas...:Shrug:

Water is heavier than gas and will sink/settle to the bottom of the gas tank...

At this point if you can' Drain the tank completely........

 

[ISP-FL]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I checked the plugs and wires after getting back to the campground but will check them again this morning. I never knew you could check codes on these machines so I will attempt that prior to our ride.

So this will be ride day three since first getting the suspected bad fuel. I have now put fresh fuel into the bike twice, counting the top off yesterday I have probably added around 5 gallons since getting the suspected bad fuel.

I added STP fuel additive and last night put some Heet in the tank.

Will post what the codes reveal (if I can figure out how to do them) and what happens on the ride. If the same thing happens today I will probably start thinking something is going on other than bad fuel. The other 2018 that initially had some minor rough running issues staightened out on the second day and is still doing fine.

Thanks again.

 

[rhino 2]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I checked the plugs and wires after getting back to the campground but will check them again this morning. I never knew you could check codes on these machines so I will attempt that prior to our ride.

So this will be ride day three since first getting the suspected bad fuel. I have now put fresh fuel into the bike twice, counting the top off yesterday I have probably added around 5 gallons since getting the suspected bad fuel.

I added STP fuel additive and last night put some Heet in the tank.

Will post what the codes reveal (if I can figure out how to do them) and what happens on the ride. If the same thing happens today I will probably start thinking something is going on other than bad fuel. The other 2018 that initially had some minor rough running issues staightened out on the second day and is still doing fine.

Thanks again.

If you are already using 10% ethanol gas, Aiding Heet [AKA Dry Gas] will just add more Alcohol to the mix....

 

[Freewheeling Ron]

I’m with rhino 2. I’d drain the tank. You may have picked up more than water if your fuel came from the bottom of the gas stations tank. That will also eliminate bad fuel as the continuing issue.

 

[MDO]

I’m with rhino 2. I’d drain the tank. You may have picked up more than water if your fuel came from the bottom of the gas stations tank. That will also eliminate bad fuel as the continuing issue.

That's why I ride elsewhere if the tankers are at the station filling up the underground tanks.

That process stirs up all the junk & it takes a while to settle down.

There have been 2x in the last few years here in STL, that I'm assuming a new driver, put diesel fuel in the regular unleaded tanks.:gah:

 

[ISP-FL]

If you are already using 10% ethanol gas, Aiding Heet [AKA Dry Gas] will just add more Alcohol to the mix....

I did not know that. Thanks.

 

[ISP-FL]

We all headed out in the morning to do another day ride in the mountains. Bike started missing worse than ever immediately. Headed to Rocky Top HD (Pigeon Forge) and they got me in right away.

Mechanic drained fuel and tested. Fuel tested okay. He noticed when he had drain off it was dirty and looked cummed up inside the fitting. He cleaned all that up, reset, and tested fuel psi. All tested to specs. He took off and ran it for about 20 miles and no issues. He came back checked maping and released bike to me. We only had to run about 15 miles back to campground but that was in congested traffic and it was almost 90 degrees out. Bike ran perfect.

Huge high rating for Rocky Top Harley Davidson! Their labor rate is very reasonable and since I was from out of state they got me in right away. Total bill was just under $100. Of course that isn't counting the $50+ my wife spent or the $500+ the other two couples spent between them while we waited.

Heading out in the next hour for another day of riding. Expecting the old 16 to run great.

 

[GARYD]

Reminds me of a time back in the day. We stopped to gas up and I grabbed the nozzle and started filling. A second later one of my buddies yelled "Hey! that's diesel". I immediately let go. I must have put about a half pint of the diesel in before stopping. Everyone was laughing their asses off. Filled up the rest with regular gas. For about 6 miles I laid down a beautiful smoke screen that a Navy destroyer would be proud of. Stopped a couple time to clean the plugs, but nothing else seemed to go wrong. Thankfully someone was paying attention to what I was doing. It could have been worse.

That's a great tip about not getting gas when you see a tanker filling the underground tanks. I heard about that many years ago and always go to another station. Even though they have filters, why take a chance?

 

[ISP-FL]

Fueled up twice today on our ride, the last time just before we parked them for the night. Did just over 300 miles all over the Smokeys. We actually did Deals Gap on the way back to the campground just because that was the fastest way, even though we had done it Monday. TG is running smooth and all is well.

Thanks everyone for help and suggestions.

 

[rhino 2]

Fueled up twice today on our ride, the last time just before we parked them for the night. Did just over 300 miles all over the Smokeys. We actually did Deals Gap on the way back to the campground just because that was the fastest way, even though we had done it Monday. TG is running smooth and all is well.

Thanks everyone for help and suggestions.

Good to hear............ThumbUpThumbUp

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

Great news,be safe and have fun.