Changing the Fuel Line on a 2013 Honda Foreman 500 4x4 FM1
Shop parts for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) ATV.
Fuel hose is a wear item, and on a 2013 Foreman 500 FM1 it is a wear item on a pressurized system. This foot-shift model is fuel injected, which means no petcock valve exists under the tank, the pump lives inside the tank, and the hose you are about to replace holds pressure well after the engine has been shut off. Getting the sequence right is more important on this machine than on any carbureted quad.
Depressurize, Then Disconnect
Remove the fuel pump fuse and crank the engine briefly. It will fire, run on residual pressure, and stall, which is the outcome you are after. Turn the key off and disconnect the battery negative terminal. With no petcock available, a pair of line-clamping pliers becomes your shutoff: pinch the tank-side hose once pressure is gone so the standing fuel in the tank stays put while the line is open.
Place a drain pan beneath the work area and drape a rag over any joint before separating it, because a depressurized hose still holds liquid gasoline that will run out.
Handling Fuel Without Taking Chances
Gasoline vapor is denser than air, which means it sinks toward the floor and creeps outward instead of dissipating upward through a window. Pilot lights on water heaters and the elements in shop heaters sit right in that path. Work outdoors when you can and with the overhead door fully open when you cannot, shut off everything in the building that burns or sparks, wear nitrile or rubber gloves since gasoline strips skin oils quickly, and put captured fuel in a sealed approved container rather than leaving an open pan out.
Why the Original Hose Is Failing
Heat cycles do most of the damage. Each warm-up and cooldown drives plasticizer out of the rubber compound until the wall goes from flexible to stiff and glassy. A stiff hose cannot absorb chassis vibration, so it cracks instead, and the first failures appear at bends and under clamps where stress is highest.
Climate accelerates it. Dry, low-humidity air pulls moisture out of the hose wall and hardens the exterior faster, so arid-region Foremans tend to need this service earlier. Ethanol-blended pump gas works the interior, attracting water and slowly degrading the inner liner. Fuel that sits unused for months gums up and softens that liner, and the debris it produces ends up in the filter inside the tank on this injected model rather than in an inline filter you can see and change.
What a Failing Line Looks and Smells Like
- A gasoline odor around the tank that is strongest right after shutdown, while the circuit is still pressurized
- A wet patch or puddle beneath the machine, though pressurized leaks often atomize and evaporate before dripping
- Fine surface cracking, a chalky dull finish, or a hardened glassy section you can feel by pinching
- A dust-caked ring at a fitting where fuel has seeped and dried
- Bogging under load, hesitation on hard acceleration, or the engine feeling starved at higher rpm
On an injected Foreman, trust your nose at least as much as your eyes. A pressure-side weep can smell strong while leaving nothing visible on the ground.
Removal and Routing Notes
Take the seat off and remove the fender panels standing between you and the tank outlet plus the hose run toward the throttle body. Slide any worm-gear or spring clamp well back along the hose before you disturb its fitting. For a quick-connect coupler, depress the locking tabs squarely and pull straight off, never prying sideways, since aged plastic collars crack easily. On a plain barb, twist the hose a quarter turn to break the varnish bond, and if it will not release, slit it lengthwise with a razor blade and peel it away rather than damaging the fitting.
Photograph the routing before the hose is fully out. As a 4x4 chassis, this Foreman carries front differential and driveshaft hardware that crowds the frame, so the line follows specific clearance points and clips that a two-wheel-drive machine would not need. Note also how the hose clears the manual shift linkage on this FM1 so the new one goes back the same way.
Installation and the Final Pressure Check
Cut the new line to the exact length of the old piece. Extra length works against you by chafing on frame tubes, kinking at loops, or drifting toward hot exhaust surfaces. Push each end fully onto its fitting until it bottoms out, working entirely dry. Grease, oil, and silicone on a sealing surface give pressurized fuel a path to escape and let the hose creep off the barb over time, so leave every fitting clean. A few seconds in hot water softens stiff new hose enough to push on by hand.
Set fresh clamps just behind the raised bead on each barb and tighten them evenly, snug without cutting into the rubber. If your Foreman uses a self-locking quick-connect at the tank, push until the collar clicks and then tug firmly to confirm the latch has caught — that joint seals without a clamp and does not want one. Seat the hose back into its factory clips, away from the front driveline and the exhaust.
Reinstall the fuel pump fuse and Reconnect the battery, then cycle the key on and off several times without starting the engine. Each cycle runs the pump and brings the circuit up to pressure, letting you examine both joints while everything is still dry. Wipe them with a clean rag and check again with a flashlight. Once the system holds, start the engine, inspect at idle, and shift through the gearbox as it comes up to operating temperature before looking one final time. One last platform note: the fuel filter on this injected Foreman is integrated into the in-tank pump assembly rather than sitting inline on the visible hose, so if delivery still feels weak after a clean install, that module is your next stop.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) ATV.
Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) ATV.
Shop Petcocks for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 (FM1) 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.