Fixing a Black Max Mower That Won’t Start (12 Steps)
If you’re having trouble getting your engine started, you should start by eliminating potential sources of obstruction. All combustion engines need these three things to get going.
If your Black Max mower won’t turn over, check for the following: a clogged air filter; a clogged fuel filter; a clogged fuel line; a dirty carburetor; old gas; a damaged spark plug; a malfunctioning ignition coil; or the wrong choke setting.
If your Black Max won’t turn over, there are a number of potential causes, all of which are detailed here. Before working on your mower, make sure you read and understand all of the safety instructions in the manual.
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Before diagnosing, repairing, or operating, be sure you’ve read and understood all of the safety recommendations in the equipment’s operator’s manual.If you don’t feel confident in your abilities or lack the necessary knowledge to make the repair securely, you should get some help from a specialist.
Table of Contents
Issues with starting a Black Max lawn mower:
- No gas in the tank
- Fuel shut off valve in the off position
- Used fuel
- A defective gas cap
- Incorrect start
- The Fuel Filter is Clogged
- Blocked gas line
- Unclean carburetor
- Air filter obstruction
- Lack of spark
- Incorrect ignition coil
- Broken recoil starter
The Black Max Mower Won’t Start for These 12 Reasons
1. No Gasoline
You are aware that gas is needed to power your mower. Don’t forget to check the gas cap. A fuel leak or a malfunctioning gas gauge could be to blame for your unexpectedly low fuel level.
SOLUTION: Look for a fuel leak or a malfunctioning fuel gauge throughout the entire fuel system. Fix broken stuff or replace it if possible. Refuel the vehicle with new gas.
2. Your Black Max Mower’s Fuel Valve is Off
Make that the fuel shutoff valve is open and stays that way. When servicing the mower’s fuel system or putting it away for the winter, you might have turned off the valve.
When the valve is closed, the engine will not get fuel.
ANSWER: Turn the fuel shutoff valve clockwise until it clicks into the open position.
3. Your Black Max Mower’s Fuel Is Old or Bad
To avoid engine trouble and fuel system gumming, avoid letting gas linger in the tank for extended periods of time.
Congestion caused by gummy deposits in the fuel system can reduce the amount of fuel available. If you do this, your engine won’t get the fuel it needs to start.
For optimal performance, fuel should be used within 30 days of purchase or stabilized with a fuel additive to extend its useful life.
Sea Foam Motor Treatment is what I turn to. In addition to preventing fuel from going bad, it also keeps the fuel system clean and dry.
CLEVER SOLUTION: Empty the gas tank of your Black Max mower. An efficient gasoline siphon pump is one. Add a fuel stabilizer to gas and then pump the mixture into the gas tank.
A Black Max mower powered by a 4-cycle engine requires gas with an octane value of at least 87 and no more than 10% ethanol.
4. A Flawed Fuel Cap for a Black Max Mower
The air can flow freely via the vents in a gasoline cap. If your fuel tank’s vent in the cap gets clogged, the tank will produce a vacuum that will prevent fuel from escaping.
Try operating the mower both with and without the fuel cap. It may have a cap that cannot vent if it starts without the cap but dies after you put it back on the fuel tank.
If cleaning the cap doesn’t work, a new Black Max gas cap is your only other option.
5. Wrong Way to Use Your Black Max Lawn Mower
A safety feature unique to Black Max push mowers is a blade control lever. This is a precautionary measure to ensure that the mower does not start up after the operator has left the area.
To operate the mower, the blade lever must be pulled back and held against the handlebar.
The answer is to hold the blade lever against the handlebar while starting a mower with either an electric key or a recoil pull.
When you take your hand off the blade control lever, the motor will shut off and the blades will stop spinning.
6. A clogged fuel filter on a Black Max mower
The gasoline filter cleans your fuel so that it doesn’t clog your engine’s fuel system.
It is possible for the gasoline filter to become clogged to the point that not enough fuel reaches the carburetor.
The answer is to take out the clogged filter and put in a new one. Numerous fuel filters feature directional arrows on their sides.
The filter’s arrow should point in the direction of your fuel flow when being installed.
7. The Black Max Mower’s Fuel Line Is Clogged
A clogged fuel line might be the result of dirt and deposits created by using stale fuel.
Stopping fuel flow with the fuel shut-off valve allows you to inspect the fuel line. If your Black Max mower doesn’t have a fuel shutoff valve, you can stop the flow by clamping the fuel line.
- Cut off the fuel hose’s end farthest from the tank and store it there.
- Start the gasoline pump and make sure fuel is entering the storage tank.
- The storage unit has to be positioned below the gas tank. Gasoline won’t travel up a hill.
- If gas is not flowing freely from the fuel line into the container, you should disconnect the line from the mower.
- To remove the obstruction, spray the line with carburetor cleaning.
- To clear the clog, blow compressed air through the line.
- If the fuel line is too clogged to unclog, a new fuel line must be installed.
8. The Black Max Mower Has a Faulty Carburetor
The fuel-air mixture that produces combustion in the cylinder is controlled by the carburetor. Components in the carburetor stop working correctly when it gets dusty and gummed up with old fuel.
Your Black Max mower may not start because the carburetor is blocking gas flow.
Once you’ve established that fuel is reaching the carburetor, you can clean it by removing the air filter and spraying cleaner into the intake.
Kick off the mower. If the engine fires up, idles for a little, and then dies, cleaning the carburetor may help. Here you will discover information about how to clean a carburetor.
9. Your Black Max Mower’s Filter Is Clogged
If the air filter on the mower is clogged, then the engine won’t have enough air to burn fuel. It is recommended that you change your air filter once a year. Regularly inspecting and cleaning the filter is essential.
Cleanse a Black Max PAPER air filter:
- Take out the filter and throw it away.
- Clean the air filter case and cover by wiping them down. Keep the air intake free of debris.
- Check the condition of the paper filter. The dirt can be loosened and released from the filter by tapping it.
- Raise the air filter to the light and examine it. If the light is usable, by all means, keep using it. If the old one is too unclean, too broken, or doesn’t provide enough of a seal for the air intake, you should purchase a new one.
- Put the air filter in place.
- The air filter cover must be reattached.
Cleanse a Black Max FOAM primary air filter
- Take out the filter and throw it away.
- Clean the air filter case and cover by wiping them down. Keep the air intake free of debris.
- Check for wear and tear on the foam filter, and replace if necessary.
- Cleaning the filter with soapy water and rinsing it until the water runs clear will determine its condition.
- The filter must be squeezed and then let to dry.
- Foam filters should be lightly soaked in clean motor oil. Squeeze to get rid of the extra oil. (Note: When using a paper air filter, never add oil to the pre-filter. The paper filter will be ruined if you do that. If you don’t know what kind of fluid to use to coat the filter in your model, look in the handbook.
- Put the air filter in place.
- The air filter cover must be reattached.
10. A Black Max mower with a faulty spark
When the tip of a spark plug is dusty, the porcelain is fractured, or the electrode is scorched, the plug is considered faulty and fouled.
The deposits on the spark plug’s tip can be removed by cleaning the plug. You should replace your spark plug if you notice that the tips have become excessively black or are broken.
The spark plug in your Black Max must have the correct gap according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
An improperly gapped spark plug or a disconnected spark plug wire can prevent the engine from starting.
11. The Black Max Mower’s Faulty Ignition Coil
Make sure your spark plug is in good shape before you start looking for a broken ignition coil. The engine cannot be started without the ignition coil sending voltage to the spark plug.
The engine won’t turn over if the spark plug doesn’t catch fire.
Check the ignition coil’s continuity with an ohm meter. Replace the ignition coil if you notice a break in continuity.
12. Your Black Max Mower Has a Bad Recoil
It’s possible that your mower’s recoil no longer works. Recoil repairs may include restringing a rope or replacing worn or broken pulleys, springs, or clips.
Sometimes all that’s required is a new set of recoil strings. On sometimes, you may need to repair or replace components of your recoil. Get the cost of a complete recoil replacement before you start.
It might be cheaper to get a new recoil assembly than to take the old one apart and fix the parts that are broken.
