How to Handle Fuel Line Replacement on a 2016 Sportsman 570 SP
Shop parts for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Riders usually notice one of three things first: a smell, a stain, or a stumble. On the 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP, any of the three can trace back to the hose carrying fuel from the tank to the throttle body, and learning to tell a fuel line problem from something else saves you from replacing parts that were never broken.
Sorting Out the Symptoms
A gasoline smell that peaks in the first few minutes after shutdown is the most telling early sign, because that is when the injection system still holds residual pressure and pushes at every weak point. A wet patch or small puddle on the floor after an overnight sit usually shows up mid-chassis under the tank rather than at either extreme. On the running side, watch for bogging when the machine is working, hesitation as you roll into the throttle, or a general sense that the engine is starved even with the tank well filled. Visually, run your fingers along the hose and feel for stiffness, then look under good light for fine crazing or a chalky gray cast, worst at the bends. A ring of dirt caked at a fitting is another dependable clue, since it collects only where fuel has seeped and dried over and over.
One caveat specific to this machine: because the line is pressurized, escaping fuel often atomizes into a mist that evaporates before it can drip. A persistent smell with nothing on the concrete beneath it is still a real finding.
Fuel Delivery on the 570 SP
The 2016 Sportsman 570 SP runs the ProStar 567cc single with electronic fuel injection. That rules out the petcock-and-float-bowl routine familiar from older carbureted quads. There is no shutoff valve under the tank and no gravity feed to interrupt; a pump inside the tank pressurizes the supply hose, and that pressure remains after you shut the key off. So the procedure gains a mandatory pressure relief step at the front, and line-clamping pliers become a necessary tool because the machine offers nothing to close. Look for a conventional clamp at the throttle body and possibly a self-locking quick-connect coupler at the pump flange that needs no clamp.
Why the Hose Went Bad
Rubber in a fuel system degrades from both surfaces. Heat cycles and weather exposure slowly drive out the plasticizers that keep the wall flexible, so the hose stiffens until it can no longer move with a vibrating single-cylinder engine, and cracks form at the bends and barbs. Dry climates hasten this by pulling moisture out of the hose wall from the outside in. At the same time, ethanol-blended fuel absorbs atmospheric water and slowly attacks the inner liner, leaving gum and soft spots, particularly when the machine sits with fuel standing in the line for weeks. A hose can therefore be brittle on the outside and compromised on the inside at once.
Prep Work: Tools and a Safe Space
- Nitrile or rubber gloves and eye protection
- A drain pan and a sealed, fuel-rated container
- Replacement hose in the correct inside diameter, rated for injection pressure
- New clamps in the existing style, plus a quick-disconnect release tool if a locking coupler is used
- Line-clamping pliers, standing in for the fuel valve this machine lacks
- Socket set, small flat blade, razor knife, and clean rags
Handle ventilation properly. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air, so it settles along the floor and drifts toward any ignition source at that level instead of escaping out a window overhead. Work outdoors or with the door fully open, shut down space heaters and hot work lights, and stay clear of anything with a standing pilot flame. Keep the gloves on for the whole job, since gasoline strips skin oils fast.
Removal Step by Step
Relieve pressure: pull the fuel pump fuse or relay, crank the engine for several seconds until it stalls or refuses to fire, key off, then disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the seat and the side panels covering the tank and the hose run heading forward.
Slide the drain pan underneath and lay a rag over the first joint you separate, because a depressurized hose is still a full hose. Move any existing clamp well back along the hose before disturbing the fitting. Locking quick-connects release when their tabs are pressed squarely and the coupler is pulled straight off the port; prying sideways cracks aged plastic. Barbed connections normally need a gentle twist to break the varnish that has bonded hose to metal over the years. If a hose will not release, slit it lengthwise and peel it off rather than risking the barb.
Watch how the line lies as it comes out. This is a 4x4 chassis, so the hose passes front differential hardware and threads through frame clearance points a two-wheel-drive machine does not have, secured by clips that keep it away from heat and moving parts. A few photographs before removal make reinstallation far easier.
Fitting the New Line and Checking It
Cut the replacement to match the length you removed. Slack is not insurance; it lets the hose chafe on the frame or drift toward the exhaust. Push each end fully onto its barb until it bottoms out against the shoulder, and do it dry. Grease, oil, and silicone spray must never touch a fuel fitting, because lubricant on the sealing surface is precisely how pressurized fuel creeps past a clamp that feels tight. Warm water for half a minute is the only correct way to soften a stubborn end.
Install new clamps just behind the raised bead on each fitting, tightening evenly instead of crushing one side. A self-locking quick-connect clicks when it seats; confirm the latch with a firm pull and leave it clamp-free. Return the hose to every original retainer.
Reinstall the fuse or relay, Reconnect the battery, then cycle the key on and off five or six times without cranking. Each cycle primes the pump and pressurizes the hose, which is the best opportunity to spot a weep while everything nearby is dry. Wipe both joints with a clean rag and look for transfer. Start the engine, idle it for several minutes, and inspect once more at full running pressure before the bodywork goes back on.
Finally, note that the filter on this injected 570 sits inside the tank as part of the pump assembly rather than inline on the hose. Fresh line cures a leaking line, but if the bogging persists afterward, that in-tank module is the next thing to examine.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Petcocks for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP 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.