Servicing the Fuel Line on a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P

Shop parts for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P ATV.

Settle the Fuel System Question First

Before you touch a clamp on a 2011 Outlander 800R XT-P, be certain what you are dealing with. This machine is fuel-injected. The 800R Rotax V-twin draws from an electric pump module submerged in the fuel tank, and there is no petcock anywhere underneath to shut flow off. The hose running to the throttle bodies stays pressurized after the engine dies and the key comes out, which is nothing like the gravity-fed arrangement on an older carbureted quad where closing a valve is the entire preamble.

That fact governs two things. First, the removal sequence begins with deliberately bleeding the circuit down. Second, the replacement hose has to be rated for fuel-injection pressure in the correct inside diameter. Low-pressure carburetor line is not a substitute and is the usual reason someone ends up doing this repair twice in a season.

Worth noting on access: the XT-P is a 4x4 with selectable two-wheel drive, and the trim brings front bumper and winch hardware in addition to the front differential and its supporting frame structure. The technique is unchanged, but the front end is congested, and the hose route passes through more clips and clearance points than it would on a two-wheel-drive machine. Trace the whole run before disassembly so the new hose goes back exactly where the old one lived.

The Mechanisms Behind a Failed Hose

Rubber fuel line ages out rather than wearing out. The compounds keeping the wall soft gradually leach away, and heat cycling from the V-twin hurries that loss. Once the hose stiffens, ordinary vibration from rough terrain turns rigidity into surface cracking. Dry, low-humidity climates accelerate everything, because arid air draws moisture out of the rubber from the outside in, so an XT-P living in high desert country hardens years earlier than an identical machine in a wet region.

The inside of the hose faces a different attacker. Ethanol-blended pump gas pulls water into the fuel system and slowly degrades the liner, and any period where the machine sat parked with fuel in it adds gumming and internal softening. The two processes run at the same time, leaving a hose brittle on its outer surface and shedding on its inner surface. That is why age is a more honest indicator than a visual check, and why a hose that looks fine can still be sending material downstream.

Symptoms That Should Get Your Attention

  • Fuel pooling on the skid plate or on the floor after the machine has been sitting
  • A gasoline smell around the tank that is strongest in the minutes right after shutdown
  • Hairline cracking, a chalky gray finish, or a hardened glassy section you can feel by pinching the hose
  • Bogging as the throttle opens, a lean stumble on a climb, or the engine acting fuel-starved with plenty in the tank
  • A dirt-packed ring at a fitting, marking fuel that has weeped and dried there repeatedly

Because the system is pressurized, a small leak can atomize and evaporate before it drips, so no puddle proves nothing at all. If the machine smells of fuel and you cannot account for it, get the panels off and look properly.

Supplies and a Safe Setup

  • Rubber or nitrile gloves, since gasoline strips skin oils on contact
  • A drain pan and a fuel-rated container for the line contents
  • Injection-rated hose in the original inside diameter
  • New clamps in the correct style, plus a quick-disconnect release tool if a locking coupler sits at the pump module
  • Line-clamping pliers, filling the role a petcock would
  • Hand tools for the seat and plastics, a sharp blade, and plenty of clean rags

Give the workspace genuine thought. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and settles at floor level, which is exactly where your head goes while reaching under the tank, so ventilation has to move air low across the ground to do anything for you. An open window above the bench is irrelevant here. Work outdoors when you can, or with the shop door fully raised and a fan running near the floor. Take every ignition source out of the space, pilot lights and hot work lamps included, and keep a fire extinguisher within arm's reach the entire time.

Extracting the Old Line

Relieve the pressure before anything else. Remove the fuel pump fuse, crank the engine briefly until it stalls or refuses to fire, switch the key off, then disconnect the negative battery cable. Pull the seat and side panels so both the tank and the hose heading toward the throttle bodies are fully in view.

Slide the pan underneath and drape a rag over the first fitting you open, since a depressurized hose still holds fuel. Push worm-gear or spring clamps well back before disturbing the joint. Quick-connect couplers release when you press the locking tabs squarely and pull straight off; levering sideways cracks collars that age has made brittle. If varnish has bonded the hose to a barb, a light twist normally breaks it free, and when it does not, slit the hose lengthwise with a blade and peel it away rather than damaging the fitting. Photograph the routing and every retainer before the last clip releases, paying close attention to where the line clears front driveline and bumper hardware.

Fitting the New Hose and Confirming the Seal

Cut the replacement to the original length exactly. Extra hose finds something to rub or wanders toward hot exhaust, and offers no margin worth having. Push each end fully onto its barb and install it dry. Grease, oil, and silicone spray all give pressurized fuel a route past the sealing surface, so keep lubricants entirely away from the fittings. A quick dip of the hose end in hot water is all the softening needed.

Place new clamps just behind the raised bead at each fitting and tighten them evenly, snug rather than crushed. Where a self-locking quick-connect is used at the tank, push until it clicks and then tug firmly to make sure the latch engaged; adding a clamp there is unnecessary. Reseat the hose in every original clip so it stays clear of the driveline and heat.

Refit the fuse, Reconnect the battery, and cycle the key on and off several times without cranking. Each cycle runs the pump and pressurizes the line while the joints are still dry, which is the easiest condition in which to catch a weep. Inspect both connections with a light and a bare fingertip, then start the engine and check again at idle before any plastics go back on. Finally, remember that this injected platform carries its fuel filter inside the tank with the pump assembly rather than inline on the visible hose, so if delivery still feels weak after a clean install, that module is the next place to investigate.

Related Shopping Categories

Shop Fuel Lines for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P ATV.

Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P ATV.

Shop Petcocks for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P ATV.

Shop Fuel Filters for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P ATV.

Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2011 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT-P 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.