Fuel Line Replacement on the 2009 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 800 6x6
Shop parts for a 2009 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 800 6X6 ATV.
The six wheeled Big Boss is a different animal from a standard utility quad, and the fuel plumbing reflects that. The 2009 Sportsman Big Boss 800 6x6 carries a stretched chassis with a cargo bed and a second rear axle, which means more frame to work around and a longer path for the hose to follow.
What the Six Wheel Chassis Adds to the Job
Length is the main difference. A longer frame means more crossmembers, more clips, and geneRally a longer run of hose between the tank and the throttle body than you would find on a two seat trail quad. Access is also different, since the cargo bed and its supporting structure sit over territory that would be open on a shorter machine. Budget time for getting the seat and the plastics off, and expect to move or work around bed hardware to reach the full length of the line.
Drive configuration matters too. All six wheels can be driven, which means front differential hardware at one end and additional driveline components heading rearward. Factory clips exist specifically to keep the fuel hose away from all of it, and from hot exhaust surfaces. That makes documenting the routing before disassembly more valuable here than on a simpler machine.
Confirming the Fuel Delivery System
The Big Boss 800 uses electronic fuel injection with an electric pump inside the fuel tank, so several habits from carbureted machines do not transfer. There is no petcock to close, and line clamping pliers take on that role instead. Fuel does not arrive by gravity, so the hose remains pressurized after shutdown and has to be bled before you open a fitting. No float bowl drain exists to empty the low point of the system, meaning the fuel to capture is standing in the hose itself. Some injected machines terminate the line in a self locking quick connect coupler rather than a barb with a clamp, so check the tank outlet before ordering parts.
Why Fuel Hose Fails With Age
On a machine this old, the hose has had plenty of time to change. Plasticizers that made the rubber flexible when new are driven out by every heat cycle from the 800 twin, and once the wall hardens it fractures rather than flexing. The 6x6 chassis works constantly on rough ground and the engine vibrates continuously, so cracks appear at bends and under clamps where stress concentrates.
Dry climates hasten this, since low humidity keeps pulling moisture from the hose wall. Ethanol blended pump gas causes the opposite kind of damage, absorbing water while the machine sits and degrading the inner liner until gum forms in the passage and loose material starts traveling toward the injectors. A hose can appear acceptable on the outside while doing exactly that internally, which is why age alone makes replacement sensible on a machine well over a decade into service.
Signs the Line Is Done
Look for the following:
- A gasoline smell hanging around the chassis, most noticeable in the first minutes after shutdown
- Fuel beading on the skid plate or a wet ring on the floor once the machine has sat
- Hairline cracking, checking, or a chalky haze on the hose after wiping it clean
- Hardened sections that will not compress when pinched
- Grit caked into a dark ring at a fitting, indicating dried fuel residue
- Bogging under a loaded bed, hesitation on hard throttle, or an engine acting starved with fuel aboard
Injection hides small leaks. Pressurized fuel escaping a pinhole often atomizes and evaporates before it can drip, so a strong odor with a dry skid plate still counts as a finding on this machine.
Tools, Parts, and Gasoline Handling
Stage nitrile gloves, a sealed fuel rated container, injection rated hose in the original inside diameter and long enough for the stretched chassis, new clamps in the correct style, a quick connect release tool if a locking coupler is used, line clamping pliers, a razor knife, sockets and trim tools for the seat and body panels, and plenty of rags.
Handle the fumes with real care. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air, so it sinks and lingers at floor level rather than drifting out a window. Ventilation has to reach the ground to help, which means working outdoors when you can or opening the shop door completely. Shut off and move every heater, charger, grinder, and pilot light in the space, and keep an extinguisher within reach rather than across the shop.
Removing the Old Hose
Bleed the pressure first. Pull the fuel pump fuse, crank the engine until it fires briefly and quits, turn the key off, and disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the seat and the plastics covering the tank and the hose run, working back along the frame as far as needed to expose the entire length.
Slide the catch pan under the joint and lay a rag over it before opening, since a bled hose still holds fuel. Push clamps well back along the hose before disturbing the fitting. Quick connects release when the tabs are pressed squarely and the coupler is pulled straight off; prying sideways splits collars that have grown brittle over the years. Fuel varnish bonds aged hose to metal barbs, so twist gently to break the seal, or run a razor along the hose and peel it off rather than stressing the fitting. Photograph every clip and clearance point along the way, because on a long chassis there are more of them to get wrong.
Installing the Replacement and Checking It
Cut the new hose to match the original length exactly. On a machine this long the temptation is to leave slack, but surplus hose finds a frame tube to chafe on or a driveline component to catch. Seat both ends fully onto their barbs with everything dry, and keep grease, oil, and silicone off the fittings, since any of them gives pressurized fuel a path past the clamp. A few seconds in hot water softens a stiff hose end. Place new clamps just behind the raised bead on each fitting and tighten evenly to snug. A self locking coupler takes no clamp at all; push until it clicks and pull firmly to confirm the latch.
Return the hose to every original clip so it stays clear of the front differential, the rear driveline, and hot exhaust. Refit the pump fuse, Reconnect the battery, and cycle the key on and off five or six times without cranking so the pump pressurizes the line while the area is clean. Wipe both joints, start the engine, and inspect again at idle with a fresh rag, watching for a bead at either connection. Let it run several minutes and check once more before the plastics go back on.
One thing to keep in mind: the fuel filter on this platform is part of the in tank pump assembly rather than an inline unit on the visible hose the way a carbureted machine would have it. A new hose will not clear a restricted filter, so if fuel delivery still feels soft afterward, that assembly is the next thing to investigate.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2009 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 800 6X6 ATV.
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Shop Fuel Filters for a 2009 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 800 6X6 ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2009 Polaris Sportsman Big Boss 800 6X6 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.