Fuel Line Routing and Replacement on a 2018 Sportsman 570 SP
Shop parts for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
The single biggest time saver on this job has nothing to do with tools. It is understanding where the hose runs before you pull it out. On the 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP the supply line leaves the pump flange on the tank, travels forward beneath the seat and side bodywork, and lands at the throttle body on the ProStar 567cc single. It does not take the shortest route. Retaining clips hold it deliberately away from hot surfaces and moving parts, and on this 4x4 chassis it also has to clear front differential hardware and frame crossmembers a two-wheel-drive machine would never carry.
Mapping the Line Before Removal
Pull the seat and the panels, then trace the hose end to end with a flashlight before you loosen anything. Photograph every clip, every point where it passes close to the frame, and the orientation of each fitting. Do this while the old hose is still in place and reinstallation becomes a matter of following a record instead of guessing. Skip it and you risk running the new line a half inch off where it belongs, which is exactly how a hose ends up chafing on a crossmember or drifting toward exhaust heat.
What Kind of Fuel System You Are Working On
This Sportsman is electronically fuel injected. There is no petcock under the tank, no valve to rotate to off, and no gravity feed to interrupt. A pump inside the tank pressurizes the supply hose, and the pressure remains there after the key is off. Two additions to the procedure follow. Pressure relief becomes a mandatory first step rather than an afterthought, and line-clamping pliers stand in for the shutoff valve the machine does not have. The hardware differs too: a conventional clamp typically secures the throttle body end, while the pump flange may use a self-locking quick-connect coupler that seats with a click and takes no clamp at all.
How Fuel Hose Deteriorates
Two mechanisms work on the same rubber from opposite sides. Heat cycles off the engine and general weather exposure slowly drive out the plasticizers that keep the wall flexible, hardening it until it can no longer move with a vibrating single-cylinder engine or a chassis that flexes over rough terrain. Arid, low-humidity climates accelerate that by pulling moisture out of the hose from the surface inward. Meanwhile ethanol-blended pump gasoline absorbs atmospheric water and gradually breaks down the inner liner, leaving gum deposits and softening the material, most aggressively when fuel sits still in the line for weeks between rides. Failures then concentrate at bends and barbs, where the hose carries the most stress.
Symptoms That Justify the Job
- Gasoline odor around the seat and tank, strongest in the first minutes after shutdown
- A wet spot or puddle beneath the mid-chassis after the machine has sat overnight
- Fine crazing, a chalky gray cast, or a section of hose that feels rigid when pinched
- Bogging under load, hesitation off idle, or an engine acting starved with a full tank
- A caked ring of dirt at a fitting, formed where fuel has seeped and dried repeatedly
Because escaping fuel on a pressurized line frequently atomizes and evaporates rather than dripping, a persistent smell with no stain on the floor is still worth acting on.
Tools, Ventilation, and Removal
Stage 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, a quick-disconnect release tool, line-clamping pliers, a socket set, a small flat blade, a razor knife, and clean rags.
Take ventilation seriously. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air, so it settles and creeps along the floor toward any ignition source sitting at that level instead of drifting out a window above you. Work outside or with the door open all the way, kill space heaters and hot work lamps, and stay clear of appliances with standing pilot flames. Gloves stay on, since gasoline strips the oils out of your skin fast.
Relieve pressure next: pull the fuel pump fuse or relay, crank the engine for several seconds until it stalls or refuses to catch, key off, then disconnect the negative battery cable. Slide the pan into position and lay a rag over the first joint you separate, because a depressurized hose is still full. Move any existing clamp well back before disturbing the connection. A locking quick-connect releases when its tabs are pressed evenly and the coupler is pulled straight off the port; side loading cracks aged plastic. Barbed fittings usually need a gentle twist to break the varnish bond. If a hose will not release, slit it lengthwise and peel it away rather than stressing the spigot.
Installing the New Line and Proving It Dry
Cut the replacement to match the old length exactly, then follow the routing you photographed. Push each end fully onto its barb until it bottoms out against the shoulder, working entirely dry. Grease, oil, and silicone spray must never touch a fuel fitting, because lubricant on the sealing surface is the most common reason a properly tightened clamp still weeps under pressure. Thirty seconds in hot water is the right way to soften a resistant hose end.
Position new clamps just behind the raised bead on each fitting and tighten evenly rather than crushing one side. A self-locking quick-connect clicks when it seats, and a firm pull verifies the latch; leave that style clamp-free. Seat the hose into every original retainer so it holds the same path it had before, well clear of the front driveline and heat.
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 circuit, which is your best chance to catch a weep while the surrounding area is still dry. Wipe both joints with a clean rag and look for transfer. Start the engine, let it idle for several minutes, and inspect once more at full running pressure before the bodywork and seat go back on.
One platform note to close on: the fuel filter on this injected 570 lives inside the tank as part of the pump module rather than inline on the visible hose. A new line fixes a cracked or leaking line. If the SP continues to bog or starve after a dry, leak-free install, that in-tank assembly is where to look next.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
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Shop Petcocks for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2018 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2018 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.