Canon Pixma MX700 stopped printing black ink

[jmbaratta]

Hi all,

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my problem and offer suggestions!

My Canon Pixma MX700 has been working great since I got it a couple years ago. Last week, however, it stopped printing black ink.

I have read through several forum postings on this website (including fixyourownprinter.com/forums/inkjet/61731 posting Re: Canon pixma MX700 by trigger1937 (7/4/10 10:18 AM) ). I have replaced the ink cartridge, thoroughly flushed the printhead with hot water, and cleaned and deep cleaned the printhead to no avail.

Please see this image: medmarketplace.com/jm/IMG.jpg (sorry it's upside-down). This image is a scan of the nozzle check printout as well as the towel stain after the printhead (which had been flushed with hot water several times and then went through a clean and deep clean cycle on the printer).

If after flushing with hot water there is no ink stain on a towel, and then after performing clean/deep clean setting on the printer there IS an ink stain on the towel (with black ink), why I am unable to get any black ink to print on the nozzle test printout?

I appreciate and feedback!
John

 

[ghwellsjr]

I couldn't link to your website with the photo, can you double-check it?

When an entire section of the nozzle check doesn't print anything, the could mean you have an electrical problem which cannot be fixed, OR it could meant you have an ink flow problem caused either by a bad ink cartridge OR by a bad purge system. I recently advised someone else how to check this here:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=43742#p43742

 

[jmbaratta]

Hi, it is not allowing me to post a complete URL. You'll need to add the normal h t t p : / / w . w. w. in front of medmarketplace.com/jm/IMG.jpg Thanks for your advice.

 

[ghwellsjr]

OK, but you have an electrical problem with your yellow. One half of it is half as dark as it should be. You're going to have to replace the print head to fix that part.

In the mean time, you should check your purge system to see if that explains why the black is not printing. If the purge system is not working, there is no point in getting a new print head until you get it working.

 

[jmbaratta]

I have attempted to clean the purge system based on your attached post. When I located the purge system, both of the sponges were completely covered in what appeared to be black ink. I applied Windex and power cycled the machine numerous times. The Windex would sit on top of the sponges until I power cycled the unit; each time the machine turned back on, the sponges were dry. The Windex really helped to clear the ink off the sponges, as they began to appear whitish (but still obviously stained). After a cleaning sequence and nozzle check printout, the sponges were covered in ink again (one black and the other with the 3 colors).

I also fully cleaned the printhead and replaced the black ink cartridge again.

Unfortunately, the nozzle check printout still fails to print black. It is identical to the image I had previously attached.

What do you think all this means?

 

[ghwellsjr]

It means you have an electrical problem with both the pigment black and half of the yellow. But the good news is that if you get a new print head, there is an excellent chance that it will work in your printer. Unfortunately, the price of a new print head may be almost as much as you paid for the printer.

 

[jmbaratta]

Thanks for your advice. I have decided to just purchase a new all-in-one printer.

I was wanting to get your thoughts on this: I had recently (within the past couple months) started using refilled Canon ink cartridges that I found on Amazon. Could this be the reason why my printer started malfunctioning? I just want to be sure to avoid this situation in the future (if possible).

Thanks again!

 

[ghwellsjr]

Electrical problems can develop in Canon print heads just through normal use and they can develop through abuse such as soaking the print head and not allowing it to dry before putting it back in the printer and applying power. You can increase the life of your print head by doing a nozzle check at least once a week if you are not otherwise using the printer. Just don't let it sit idle for months at a time.