ip4000 has a reoccurring clog that I can't fix

CP83

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I'm having a problem with my Canon ip4000 that has me completely stumped. The printer is about a year old and the only ink I've ever used in it is Hobbicolors ink. It has always worked great until about 2 weeks ago when I refilled the cartridges. What happened was that the day after I refilled the carts I did a nozzle check and the cyan color looked kind of magenta/purple. I figured the print head was clogged on the cyan color so I ran a few light cleaning cycles and eveything was fine again. The next day I ran another nozzle check and it was the same way again. I did a "deep cleaning" and it worked fine again. Next day another nozzle check and same problem again. I thought maybe it was a problem with the cartridge so I happened to have an extra hobbicolors cart that had never been used and I filled it with cyan ink and it still did the same thing.

Over the past few weeks I've tried cleaning the nozzles and head with compressed air, I've run warm water through the nozzles, I've let the head soak in windex on a paper towel. Each time I clean it it will work fine the rest of the day and then sure enough I can check it the next day and it is printing the wrong color again. I've tried printing a whole sheet of just cyan and it starts out printing what appears to be magenta/purple and as it goes down the page it has allot of banding and then it starts to turn cyan. If I keep printing long enough the cyan will work fine but the next day it starts all over again. At this point as much as I've cleaned it I can't imagine that it could possibly be clogged. I think it must be something else.

Does anyone know what the problem could be? Thanks!
 

mikling

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You have a flow problem. The cartridges don't want ot give up ink and is starting to pull it back from the heads. Every time you do a cleaning you force the ink down with a vacuum, then slowly the cartridge pulls it back up. Your nozzle checks may show weak and slightly distorted patterns.
Solution:
Purge time for them, or get a new bunch of cartridges, they've been refilled enough. Best is to gather the originals for refills.
research my technique I recommend to my customers to extend the time before this happens or totally prevent it.
 

Grandad35

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This sounds like a classic case of cross contamination. Do a forum search using "cross AND contamination" in the Keyword search box (but remove the quotes) and you will find several threads on this subject. The usual cause is that the sponge that covers the print heads in the "head park" position gets so saturated that ink pools against the print head, allowing ink to transfer between colors.
 

CP83

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Thanks for the replies mikling and Grandad35, I'll check if their is any cross contamination in the bottom of the cyan cart tomorrow before I print anything. That sounds like it might be the problem since this started right after my last refill (and I believe I did overfill the magenta cartridge a bit). I'll report back if that is it. Thanks so much!
 

hpnetserver

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It is not a clog. Your magenta ink tank is leaking slowly. The magenta ink leaks out of the nozzles and before it drips down on the paper path inside the printer the leaked ink grew in size and covered up your Cyan nozzles. When you did a light clean it sucked out the leaked ink so everything worked, The next day there was again sone leaked Magenta and everything repeated when you did another cleaning. You should not have done the deep clean nor soaking the print head. You are right that it's not a clog. It is your Magenta ink tank that is leaking. Did you seal the Magenta tank properly? Once you seal it properly and the leak stops all your colors will be normal again. It's a typical refilling issue many encounter from time to time. It's a lesson good to learn. Good luck, CP83.
 

CP83

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Thanks for the advice hpnetserver, I'll pick up a new magenta cart tomorrow and see if that helps. I thought the cart was sealed properly but the hobbicolors cart has a screw on the top that might be a bit stripped. The symptoms do sound like what you describe. I checked and there is no cross contamination in the cyan cart so could it be that the magenta is leaking onto the sponge that Grandad35 mentioned while it is in the park position and it is being sucked up a bit into the cyan nozzle but not far enough to contaminate the cyan cartridge? That would explain why it prints magenta at first and then goes back to cyan after a bit of printing. I hope that is the problem I would hate to have to buy a new printhead. Thanks again!
 

headphonesman

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Grandad, Mikling, hpnetserver,

I would suspect failure of the rubber gasket within the print head allowing cross contamination. I would agree that cross contamination is taking place, its just where is the point.

I have tried to see where I would be wrong in thinking this, but I can`t. Please advise me on the point that would negate this suspicion.

CP83
On a positive note , if it is head failure it is well worth getting a replacement head, they are moderate in price, (especially in the USA), I think the 4000 is the finest mid-range Printer Canon made, you should keep it going.
 

CP83

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Thanks for the suggestion headphonesman, I appreciate everyone's efforts in helping me track down where this leak is coming from. I guess you are talking about the rubber gasket that surrounds the magenta ink pickup disc? I took a look at it and I didn't see any ink on top of the gasket or anywhere around it. If it were leaking would I be able to see it? Is that something that can be ordered by itself or would I need to buy a new printhead to get the gasket?

I ordered another hobbicolors kit so I will have to wait for it to arrive before I will know if a new cartridge stops the leak. As a temporary measure to stop the leaking until the new kit arrives I covered the top of the magenta cartridge with tape. That has stopped the problem for now and the cyan printed fine this morning.

I totally agree with you about the ip4000. I have loved having it and if it needs a printhead I will buy one. I have a brand new ip6000D that has never been opened that is waiting for the day that my ip4000 dies but I plan to postpone that date as long as I can. :)
 

headphonesman

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CP83 said:
I guess you are talking about the rubber gasket that surrounds the magenta ink pickup disc? I took a look at it and I didn't see any ink on top of the gasket or anywhere around it. If it were leaking would I be able to see it? Is that something that can be ordered by itself or would I need to buy a new printhead to get the gasket?
CP83
No I am sorry , I was not explicit enough.......the rubber you are referring to is a mat which the carts sit on.
The rubber gasket I am referring to is WITHIN the printhead assembly and can only be accessed by taking the head apart (2 screws hold it in place ?), a process not for the faint hearted , and of very little use if the rubber has decided to give up. I have dis-assembled canon printheads for a old 6200 and an 820S, this gasket is very similar in principle and look to a gasket on a car engine, they are not available as a seperate item. I was successful in re-assembling them , but not in overcoming the problem and getting them back to full and proper operation, I think once the gasket has gone , its gone.
I recommend that if you purchase a nnew head and have this malfunctioning head ready for the bin , you disassemble it before you throw it just to see how they are put together, clean and re-seat the rubber gasket , put it back together, and try it, (and then probably throw it !.)
 

CP83

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Oh ok I see what your saying headphonesman. Hopefully a new ink cartridge will solve the problem but with the luck I've been having lately it will probably be the printhead. :) I'll post my results with the new cartridges when I receive them. Thanks!
 
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