Replacing the Fuel Line on a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS
Shop parts for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS ATV.
Fuel work deserves more respect than most garage jobs, and this one starts with where you do it. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air. It does not float out an open window; it sinks and spreads along the floor, which is exactly where a water heater pilot, a shop furnace, or a cheap extension light with a hot bulb tends to sit. Work on the 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS outdoors or with the door fully open, kill anything with a flame or a spark, and wear gloves throughout because gasoline pulls the oils right out of your skin.
Confirming What Feeds This Engine
The 2018 Sportsman 570 EPS runs the ProStar 567cc single with electronic fuel injection. There is no petcock to close, no valve to rotate, and no gravity feed to interrupt. Fuel arrives under pressure from a pump mounted inside the tank, and that pressure remains in the hose after the key comes off. Two consequences follow. First, you must relieve system pressure deliberately before you open a single fitting. Second, you need line-clamping pliers to pinch off flow, standing in for the shutoff valve this machine simply does not have. Fitting styles vary as well: the throttle body end typically uses a conventional clamp, while the pump flange may carry a self-locking quick-connect coupler that needs no clamp at all.
Why the Hose Hardens and Cracks
Fuel line ages from both surfaces. Externally, heat cycling from the engine and years of exposure gradually drive out the plasticizers that keep the rubber pliable, so a hose that was once soft becomes stiff and eventually glassy. Riders in arid country see this accelerate, since dry air pulls moisture out of the hose wall and hardens it from the outside inward. Internally, ethanol-blended fuel absorbs water and slowly attacks the liner, leaving gum deposits and softening the material, especially when the machine sits for weeks with fuel standing in the line. Add the steady vibration a single-cylinder 570 sends through the frame, and the cracks show up first at bends and barbs where the hose is loaded hardest.
The Inspection Checklist
- Damp concrete or a small puddle under the mid-chassis after an overnight sit
- A gasoline smell that lingers near the seat, most noticeable right after shutdown
- Fine crazing, a chalky gray cast, or a section that feels rigid rather than rubbery
- An engine that bogs under load, stumbles when you roll on the throttle, or feels starved with plenty of fuel aboard
- Dust caked into a ring at a fitting, the residue of fuel seeping and drying over and over
Because a pressure-side pinhole can atomize fuel into a mist that evaporates before it drips, a strong persistent smell counts as real evidence even with no stain to point at.
Tools Worth Having Ready
Set out nitrile gloves and eye protection, a drain pan, a sealed fuel-rated container, replacement hose in the correct inside diameter rated for injection pressure, fresh clamps in the existing style, a quick-disconnect release tool, line-clamping pliers, a socket set, a small flat blade, a razor knife, and a stack of clean rags. Gathering everything first is not busywork. Once a fuel fitting is open you want both hands available and no reason to walk across the shop.
Taking the Old Line Off
Relieve pressure before anything else. Pull the fuel pump fuse or relay, crank the engine several seconds until it stalls or refuses to start, key off, then disconnect the battery negative cable. Remove the seat and the side panels covering the tank and the hose run forward to the throttle body.
Slide the pan underneath and drape a rag over the joint you are separating — the line is still full even without pressure. Work any existing clamp well back along the hose first. For a locking quick-connect, press the tabs squarely and pull the coupler straight off the port; prying sideways is what snaps an aged plastic collar. On barbed fittings, break the varnish bond with a gentle twist rather than a hard pull. If the hose will not surrender, slit it lengthwise and peel it away to protect the fitting.
Watch the routing carefully as the line comes out. This 4x4 chassis carries front differential hardware and additional frame clearance points that a two-wheel-drive machine does not, so the hose threads through more clips than you might assume. A few photographs before removal save real time later.
Installation and Confirming a Dry Repair
Cut the new hose to the exact length of the old one. Slack does nothing useful; it lets the hose rub the frame or drift toward hot exhaust. Push each end fully onto its barb until it seats against the shoulder, and do it dry. Grease, oil, and silicone spray have no business on a fuel fitting, because any lubricant on the sealing face gives pressurized fuel a route past the clamp. Thirty seconds in hot water is the right way to soften a stubborn end.
Install new clamps just behind the raised bead on each fitting, tightening evenly. Self-locking quick-connects should click into place, and a firm tug verifies the latch; leave them clamp-free. Return the hose to every original retainer so it stays clear of the front driveline, steering components, and heat.
Reinstall the fuse or relay, Reconnect the battery, and cycle the ignition on and off five or six times without cranking. Each cycle primes the pump and pressurizes the circuit, which is your best chance to spot a weep while the surrounding area is still dry. Wipe both joints with a clean rag and look for transfer. Then start the engine, let it idle several minutes, and inspect again under full running pressure before the bodywork goes back on.
Finally, remember that the fuel filter on this injected 570 sits inside the tank as part of the pump module rather than inline on the visible hose. Fresh line cures a cracked or leaking line. If the machine still bogs or starves after a leak-free install, the in-tank assembly is where the trail leads next.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS ATV.
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Shop Petcocks for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 EPS 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.