Hello everyone, dumb question from a noob , but I've learned it's better to ask than to screw things up even more.

I just got my first Harley this weekend, a 1995 Fatboy. The bike has been well maintained and ran quite well (I've seen it run a few times recently while considering the trade). However, yesterday when I picked it up the guy said it started backfiring through the exhaust. He said he noticed the tank was low and topped it off with gas from a large 50 gallon drum he keeps in his garage. He said he put sta-bil in the drum for winter and that was the only thing that had changed since I saw it 2 - 3 days ago.

Is sta-bil okay to use and is this the likely cause? It has the evo engine and once it warms up seems to line out some, but does not go away entirely. I can drain the tank and fill it with 93 octane, but wanted to make sure the sta-bil was a culprit first.

Thanks,

Jim

 

Filling a bike from a 55Gal. Barrel? Just a bad, bad idea. Absolutely empty the tank and start over. Check fuel filter?

 

Will do and thanks for the advice, didn't make a lot of sense to me either. About the sta-bil, is it okay or is that likely a problem too? Could it foul plugs and such?

 

If it's backfiring there's something else going on besides bad fuel. I'd hold off until the seller gets everything lined out first. Stabil won't hurt a thing and definitely won't be the cause of what's going on with the bike. You better put a hold on your check in case the bike has problems.

 

If its backfiring out the pipes, make sure the exhaust is tight to the heads, I dont think stabil would cause that.

 

sounds like exhaust leak......maybe

 

Thanks everyone, much appreciated. Sounds like it could be many things but definitely not the sta-bil. Haven't used this product before so I wasn't sure. Its a newer set of Vance & Hines pipes and it seems to only be backfiring from the rear (top pipe). Sounds like a trip to the shop is in my future. Bummer too, only other issue with the bike was a bad choke cable.

Thanks,

Jim

 

Try snugging up the exhaust nuts at the heads first.

 

Will do, I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.

 

Maybe a lean fuel problem and with the weather getting colder it's more noticeable?