Fuel Line Replacement on a 1991 Honda TRX200D Fourtrax

Shop parts for a 1991 Honda TRX200D ATV.

There is a real advantage to working on a machine as straightforward as the 1991 TRX200D: the fuel system has almost nothing in it to intimidate you. This is a carbureted, gravity-fed quad with a manual petcock under the tank, and replacing the hose that runs from that valve to the carburetor is one of the most satisfying half-hour jobs on the whole machine.

A Simple Gravity-Fed System

Fuel on this Fourtrax leaves the tank through a petcock, drops down a short rubber hose, and enters the float bowl of the carburetor. There is no pump, no pressure, and no electronics involved — gravity does all the work, which is why the valve under the tank is your shutoff and why the hose is ordinary low-pressure fuel line held on with clamps. The petcock typically includes a small screen or filter element at its inlet, and the carburetor has a drain screw at the base of the float bowl that lets you empty fuel out of the bowl without making a mess. Being a 2WD machine, the TRX200D has no front differential crowding the frame, so the run from tank to carburetor is short and easy to see in one glance.

Why Three Decades of Rubber Gives Out

Fuel hose does not wear so much as it changes. Over the years, heat cycling and exposure pull the plasticizers out of the rubber compound, leaving the hose stiff, chalky, and prone to splitting where it curves toward a fitting. In dry, low-humidity country the process runs faster, because arid air draws moisture out of the hose wall. From the inside, ethanol-blended pump gas absorbs water and slowly attacks the liner, softening the bore and gumming up as it sits. A TRX200D that has spent long stretches parked with fuel in the system takes damage the whole time it is standing still, and on a machine of this age the original hose is nearly always overdue regardless of how it looks.

Signs Your Line Needs Attention

Any of these means it is time:

  • A fuel puddle or dried stain on the floor beneath the carburetor area
  • A strong gasoline smell around the quad, most noticeable in a closed garage
  • Cracking, a chalky surface, or a hardened section that will not flex when you pinch it
  • Bogging on hills, sputtering as though the tank is empty, or a lean stumble under throttle
  • Weeping at either fitting, often visible as a dirt-caked ring where fuel has dried

Since this system is gravity-fed rather than pressurized, a failing hose usually leaks visibly rather than misting. A wet spot under the machine after it sits overnight is the classic signature.

Tools, Gloves, and Fresh Air

Set out the following before you start:

  • Rubber or nitrile gloves, since gasoline strips the oils from skin quickly, plus eye protection
  • A drain bucket or approved fuel container and a good supply of rags
  • Low-pressure fuel hose in the correct inside diameter for this carbureted setup
  • Fresh hose clamps or a small clamp kit, since the originals are likely fatigued
  • Pliers, a small flat-blade screwdriver, and a socket set for the seat and fender fasteners

Handle gasoline with genuine respect. Vapor is heavier than air and settles at floor level where you are working, so open the garage door fully or roll the quad outside rather than counting on a window. Shut off anything with a pilot light, keep sparks and cigarettes away, and have a fire extinguisher within reach.

Shutting Off Fuel and Removing the Old Hose

Turn the petcock to the off position first — that alone stops the flow on this machine, which is a luxury injected quads do not offer. Put a pan under the carburetor, open the float bowl drain screw, and let the bowl empty into it, then close the screw. Remove the seat and any fender hardware in the way to expose the full run of hose.

Slide the clamps back along the hose before you touch a fitting. Old spring clips lose tension and old worm-gear clamps seize, so plan on replacing both. Twist the hose gently on the petcock spigot and the carburetor inlet to break the varnish bond rather than pulling hard on either fitting, since the brass and plastic on a machine this age does not tolerate force. If the hose has hardened onto a spigot and refuses to release, slit it lengthwise with a razor blade and peel it off. Note how the hose sits before it comes out so the new one does not end up rubbing on the frame or a cable.

Sliding On the New Line

Cut the fresh hose to match the length of the old piece. A hose that is too long sags into the exhaust or the linkage, and one cut short pulls at both fittings and can work loose. Push each end fully onto its spigot until it bottoms out, and do it dry: no grease, no oil, no silicone spray. Lubricant on those sealing surfaces gives fuel a path to seep past the clamp, and on a gravity system it will find it. If the hose is stiff, dip the end in hot water for half a minute and it will slide on by hand.

Set new clamps just behind the bead on each spigot and tighten them evenly, firm enough to seal without cutting into the rubber. Make sure the hose curves natuRally between the two fittings with no kinks that could restrict gravity flow.

Leak Check and a Note on the Petcock Screen

Turn the petcock back on and simply watch for two or three minutes before touching the starter. Gravity feed means fuel reaches the carburetor immediately, so a bad joint will show itself while everything is still cold. Wipe both fittings dry with a clean rag and look again, then start the engine, let it idle, and inspect once more with the hose warm.

While you are in there, it is worth checking the small screen at the petcock inlet, since decades of sediment and ethanol residue collect there and produce the same starved-for-fuel symptoms as a collapsing hose. A fresh line and a clean screen together restore fuel delivery on a TRX200D far more reliably than replacing either one alone.

Related Shopping Categories

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Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 1991 Honda TRX200D ATV.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your ATV's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.