No Power - MT180D

[rps]

My MT180D doesn't have enough power to mow tall grass with my finishing mower. It starts puffing black smoke, and the RPMs go down even in 1st gear low range.

I have replaced the:
Glow plugs,
air and fuel filters,
fuel line from bowl to injector pump,

It cuts off at low throttle where it used to run fine.

I don't know if this is related, but the shut-down solenoid doesn't work from the ignition switch, but I can open the hood and push it to turn the engine off.

I really appreciate any your ideas and experience. I have reached the limit of my diesel engine knowledge.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

I'm fighting a similar issue on a Mitsubishi KE70 engine. I went through everything but having it bored out and new pistons installed. My last attempt was installation of new rings which did nothing. It exhibits poor low speed torque, no acceleration, and puffs black smoke easily under the slightest loads as it chokes to death. A compression test shows it to be comparable to a good running engine which is surprising although I've read posts that state a compression test doesn't really mean a whole lot. A leak-down test is preferred but I haven't done one or bought the equipment to do so.

The only thing I have noticed different about the engine is that is has noticable blow-by out the valve cover return line to the intake manifold. Ideally there would be no detectable amount and it is a fast, cheap test point.

I'm reluctant to dump $5-700 in the engine for new pistons and boring only to have it run the same. I do think it is most likely the problem at this point though, but there could be some other subtle problem. I've decided just to swap it out with another engine that runs good to end the "wild goose-chasing".

 

[rps]

My compression is good too. I tested it cold and got 400, 430 and 450.