How to Change the Fuel Line on a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4x4 ES Power Steering
Shop parts for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) ATV.
Good preparation is most of this job. The fuel hose on a 2009 TRX500 Foreman 4x4 ES with power steering is an inexpensive piece of rubber that takes maybe twenty minutes to swap, but doing it without a plan turns a small repair into a garage full of fumes and a puddle under the quad. This Foreman is carbureted and gravity fed, so a manual valve at the tank is your shutoff and there is no pressurized circuit involved. Get the container, the gloves, and the airflow arranged first.
Laying Out Supplies and Clearing the Air
Everything below should be within arm's reach before a clamp moves:
- Nitrile or rubber gloves and safety glasses, since gasoline strips skin oils fast
- A wide drain pan and a sealed fuel–rated jug with a funnel for recovered fuel
- Gasoline–rated hose in the original inside diameter, cut long and trimmed on the machine
- New clamps matching the factory type, worm gear or spring clip
- Flat–blade screwdriver, needle–nose pliers, a hose pick, sockets for the seat and fenders, and clean rags
Now the ventilation, which is the part that actually matters. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and flows along the floor instead of rising, so it can reach a water heater pilot or a shop heater across the room long before you smell anything standing up. Work outdoors or with the door fully open, keep the recovery jug capped between pours, do no grinding or torch work in the building while a line is open, and carry the soaked rags outside when you finish rather than leaving them piled up.
Establishing How Fuel Reaches the Engine
This Foreman runs a carburetor, and the petcock at the base of the tank, with its OFF, ON, and RES positions, controls the entire circuit. Closing it is what allows a fitting to be opened without draining the tank. Injected utility quads work on different rules: no petcock, an electric pump inside the tank, residual pressure in the supply hose that must be bled by pulling the pump fuse and stalling the engine, occasionally a self–locking quick–connect at the tank instead of a clamp, and a fuel filter tucked inside the pump module. Your machine has none of those complications.
Two chassis details are worth noting. Being a 4x4, this Foreman carries a front differential and propeller shaft that occupy the lower frame, so the hose is clipped along a path that keeps it clear of that hardware and the exhaust. The electric shift wiring and the power steering harness also run through the same general area, so identify them before you start pulling on anything and be sure you know which line is the tank vent.
The Mechanism Behind Hose Failure
Rubber fuel line does not wear out from flow. It cures, losing the plasticizers that made it soft until the wall is stiff, slightly shrunken, and quick to crack when flexed. Heat cycling drives it, and dry climates push it further by drawing moisture out of the hose and hardening the outer surface into a chalky, crazed skin.
Ethanol–blended pump gas erodes the liner from within. It pulls water into the fuel, which degrades the inner surface over time, and fuel that stands unused for a season leaves gum that cements the hose to the barbs and flakes loose toward the carburetor jets. Between those two mechanisms, a hose of this age can present a clean exterior and still be responsible for poor running.
Symptoms to Take Seriously
Give the machine a look for these:
- A gasoline puddle under the skid plate or a wet trail down the engine
- A persistent fuel smell around the tank area after shutdown
- Cracking, a chalky bloom, or a hard glassy section anywhere along the hose
- Bogging under load, weak pull on hills, or a lean stumble that mimics low fuel
- Dust caked onto dried fuel residue at either connection
Because gravity feeds the carburetor here, a leak between valve and carburetor can drain fuel onto the ground while the machine simply sits.
Old Hose Out, New Hose In
Turn the petcock OFF, pull the seat, and remove whatever fender panel or tank cover blocks the run. Slide the pan under the carburetor, open the float bowl drain screw so the bowl and hose empty through the overflow tube, then close it. Slide both clamps back off the barbs and twist each hose end to break the varnish bond instead of pulling straight, which can crack the petcock spigot or the carburetor inlet. A hose end that refuses to move gets slit lengthwise with a razor and peeled off. Photograph the routing and every clip while the old hose is still in place.
Cut the new hose to the same length as the original and push each end on dry until it bottoms against the shoulder of the fitting. Nothing goes on the barb to help it slide — grease, oil, and silicone all give pressurized or gravity–fed fuel a path to creep out, and once applied they never fully wipe away. Warm water for a few seconds is the correct trick for a tight end. Set the new clamps just behind the raised bead on each fitting, tighten evenly, and thread the hose back through every clip so it clears the header, the front driveline, and the shift and steering harnesses.
Confirming the Job Before You Load Up
With the drain screw closed, turn the valve to ON and watch both joints for a full minute, then wipe them with a dry rag and look a second time. Move the valve to RES and check again, since that position draws from lower in the tank and puts a slightly different head of fuel on the connection. Start the engine, let it idle several minutes, and inspect once more as the hose warms to temperature. Only then does the bodywork go back on. If the Foreman continues to bog after a dry, sealed install, suspect that the old hose already sent debris downstream and pull the carburetor float bowl next.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) ATV.
Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) ATV.
Shop Petcocks for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2009 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 ES POWER STEERING (FE2) 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.