Epson WP 4540 black ink dripping on paper

@nowhere, you’ll have no problems if you just use Windex, it’s pretty good stuff, soaking your print head like in the video can only help it get better.

The best way to stop any black spots coming back is to give the purge unit and wiper blade a good spray of Windex and then mop up the whole area with kitchen towels, do it several time to get it really clean if necessary..

You are spot on here. I had to give up for the moment. I'm determined to fix this now, but, must schedule 2 hours and a shower. The area under the print heads needs at least 1 more cleaning. I took out the purge tank and ... what a mess. All 4 sides. above and below. As thick as 3 or 4 sheets of paper. I can't account for the quantity of ink in this area. I put the tank back in place then pulled it out and found the top again covered in black ink. Why isn't this mess going directly into the tank? Could all this be from normal operation? Where is the color ink residue or does it all look black when mixed? I don't see any color even as I clean or wash hands.

Anyone know where I could find a diagram of this clean and purge area? From the front of the machine, the print heads rest on the right side. The wiper blade is to the left of the mechanism, then the black sponge area followed by the color sponge space. What is below this? Is it like a funnel leading to the waste tank? I would guess this either is misdirected and not going directly into the waste tank or there is a blockage. Is this gravity feed? I'd like to know how this should work so I could either properly route the flow or clear any blockage before I again clean the sponge above. I will try to soak the print head overnight while I ponder this.

I welcome and appreciate any help.

PS: Looking at the ink level page, the purge tank level looks the same as it did when the printer was new ... 2 years ago, and, the same as my new 4630 purge tank indicator. Should this change like the ink level indicators?

Interesting site for Epson & Canon
--WP 4540 parts diagrqm--
http://www.compassmicro.com/files/WP-4540 exploded diag.pdf

https://www.compassmicro.com/parts_search3.cfm

https://www.compassmicro.com/

nowhere said:

Thanks. I did put a gauze pad with Windex between the print head and waste pad for maybe 2 minutes. If Windex is the right stuff I give it overnight this time.

Attached is the nozzle check I ran after toying with the printer last night. My first concern is whether or not the black ink spots come back. I'm now using the original lite fill Epson cartridges that came with my printer.

Click to expand...

from your description it sounds like the a burst membrane on the damper module. It has been a well documented problem with the workforce pro series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ1jkgE9TtA
Classically it has been described as leaking yellow but I have x5 wp4530 and over 2 yrs 2 of The MFPs have had this problem one was with the black chamber leaking and one was the magenta. In the early stages the leaking may not be very obvious but the print head has a nozzle problem (looks like a blocked pattern) then the leaking inside the printer is noticed. I am not aware of any

I am not sure that this problem has been fixed with the wf4630/40 series - I noticed someone in the comments of the above youtube had the membrane problem with a wf4630.
Otherwise I agree the wp4530 is a fantastic workhorse in the office environment with effectively what is a built in CISS. With the advent of the battery free chips that could be reset by re inserting the cartridge they are so cheap to run with bulk dye ink. The wf4630/40 is a backward step for end users as each time the cartridge needs to be reset a new chip has to be added to the cartridge.

Here are some shots when I dismantled a wp4530
It shows the magenta membrane leaking.




In the foreground of the next photo is the compression platform that sits over the ink wells with spring loaded pistons.
It would be interesting to know if this mechanism has been significantly changed with the wf4630. If it hasn't I would be reluctant to expect a long life.