Fuel Line Service on the 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4x4 Power Steering
Shop parts for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) ATV.
The fuel system on a 2013 Rubicon with power steering is refreshingly uncomplicated once the bodywork is off: a tank, a petcock, a short run of rubber, and a carburetor doing the mixing. Because it is carbureted rather than fuel injected, fuel travels by gravity and that petcock gives you a positive shutoff, which is the difference between a relaxed repair and one that starts with bleeding pressure out of a pump circuit.
Where the Hose Runs and Why It Matters
Trace the line with a light before you disturb anything. It leaves the petcock spigot beneath the tank, drops down and forward, and ends at the carburetor inlet, held by clips along the way. On this 4x4 Rubicon the front differential and its supporting hardware take up room a two–wheel–drive quad leaves open, so the hose works through a few additional frame clearance points to get there. Note every clip and pass–through now, because a new hose reinstalled outside its original guides will chafe against a frame tube or end up resting near exhaust within a riding season.
While you have the light out, locate the float bowl drain screw on the carburetor. You will want it shortly, and finding it in advance is easier than hunting for it with a drain pan in one hand.
Why Old Fuel Hose Stops Sealing
Age does the damage rather than mileage. The plasticizers that keep fuel hose flexible slowly leach out of the rubber until the wall is stiff and glassy and no longer springs back around a barb under clamp pressure. Heat cycling from the 475cc single accelerates it, and flexing over rough ground works the hardened areas into surface cracks. In dry, low–humidity country the process runs faster because the air draws moisture out of the hose and stiffens it from the outside inward.
Ethanol–blended gasoline handles the interior. E10 pulls water into the fuel and steadily degrades the inner liner, and months of sitting between seasons with fuel in the system gives it ample opportunity. The result is a hose that is brittle outside and soft inside at the same time. Since this Rubicon feeds a carburetor, what the liner sheds ends up in the float bowl as gum and grit, eventually restricting a jet.
Recognizing a Line on Its Way Out
Look for a gasoline smell that lingers around the machine well after shutdown, and for a puddle or dark, damp patch on the skid plate below the carburetor. A gravity–fed carbureted quad usually leaves that evidence honestly, unlike a fuel–injected machine where pressurized fuel often mists away before it can drip. Pinch along the hose feeling for hardened, chalky sections, then flex it and watch for hairline cracks opening under the bend. Grit stuck in a wet band at the petcock spigot or carburetor inlet indicates a slow seep. Running symptoms belong on the list too: bogging under load, a lean stumble as the throttle opens, or an engine behaving as though the tank were nearly empty when it is not.
Preparation and Fuel Safety
Set out the following before opening a fitting:
- Rubber or nitrile gloves and eye protection
- An approved sealed container to hold drained fuel
- Replacement hose in the correct inside diameter for your Rubicon
- New clamps or a small clamp assortment, since a clamp that has taken a set will not seal reliably
- A flat–blade screwdriver, sockets for the seat and body panels, and a razor blade
- A sealed LED work light and a generous supply of rags
Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and settles on the floor exactly where you will be kneeling with your face near an open fitting, so a cracked window above the machine accomplishes nothing. Move the Rubicon outdoors or open the overhead door fully, shut off any heater with a standing pilot flame, unplug the battery charger, and keep grinders and other spark sources out of the space entirely.
Off With the Old, On With the New
Rotate the petcock to OFF, then slide the drain pan under the carburetor and open the float bowl drain screw to empty the bowl. Doing that first keeps bowl fuel from running back down the hose when you separate a fitting and gives you a look at any sediment that has collected. Push both clamps well back along the hose, then twist each end gently to shear the varnish bond at the barb. Never force a stuck hose; slit it lengthwise with the razor and peel it away, which protects the brass petcock spigot from cracking.
Cut the new hose to match the old length precisely. Extra hose rubs the frame or fouls at full steering lock, and a short piece pulls at both fittings until one begins to weep. Push each end onto its barb until it bottoms out, working dry throughout. Grease, oil, and silicone have no place on a fuel fitting, because lubricant on the sealing surface gives fuel a route to creep out under the clamp, and it is a frequent cause of a leak showing up after an otherwise careful install. A few seconds in hot water softens a stiff end enough to slide on unaided.
Place fresh clamps just behind the raised bead at each fitting and tighten them evenly, firm enough to seal but not enough to crush the rubber. Feed the hose back through the clips you noted earlier, keeping a smooth radius through each bend so nothing kinks where it turns toward the carburetor.
Close the float bowl drain screw and turn the petcock to ON. Gravity does the testing on a carbureted machine: the line and bowl fill within a minute, and any seep appears at a fitting while the surrounding metal is still clean. Wipe both joints with a fresh rag and check again, then start the engine and let it idle with the bodywork off, since running heat and vibration will find a marginal connection a static test misses. After several minutes of dry running the panels can go back on, and the tank vent hose deserves a quick look while you are in there because it has aged on the same clock.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) ATV.
Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) ATV.
Shop Petcocks for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2013 Honda TRX500 Rubicon 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM6) 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.