Need Help For My Mp540 Printhead.

[Photofan1986]

Hello all!

I need some help with my good old MP540.
I've been refilling for quite a while now using the "german" method, but lately I did not use the printer a lot, and I think that the printhead got clogged. I ran through a couple of cleaning cycles, but did not get good results. Then I tried the steam method and performed a nozzle check, and to my surprise, it came out perfect (almost). So I tried to do a printhead alignment check, and I noticed that the blue pattern did not print correctly. Some of them did not appear at all.
Next interesting thing is that printing in any quality modes on normal paper gives me normal colours (and no stripes), but when I'm using photo paper, the blue colour is almost completely missing.

My understanding is that the printer is using different size nozzles for different droplet sizes ( 5pl ? for standard paper in normal mode, 1pl in photo mode on photo paper?).
So do you think that the printhead might be dead, or does it need even more thorough cleaning because the small nozzles get clogged easier?
ps: sorry about the bad picture quality, I was lazy and used the camera instead of the scanner.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Photofan1986]

No one can help me?
I tried another cleaning and got the same results.

 

[PeterBJ]

Here is how I cleaned a Canon MP540 print head, using a gentle method: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/canon-mp540-saved-by-pharmacists-cleaning-solution.8176/

Instead of pharmacist's cleaning solution found here: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/cleaning-solution-the-ultimate-test.5296/ you can also use a window cleaner with ammonia. I don't know your location, but in the USA the original "Windex with Ammonia-D" is recommended. In Europe an "Ajax" window cleaner with ammonia, from Colgate-Palmolive is recommended.

 

[Photofan1986]

So you believe that the printhead might still be clogged? Doesn't this look more like a dead head?

 

[PeterBJ]

That's a good question, which an extended nozzle check might help answer. The extended nozzle check is made from service mode using one of the Canon service tools. See this thread for a description of the service tools and the extended nozzle check: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/canon-service-tool-v2000.6615/ and see this post by Tudor for download links and an instruction: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/canon-service-tool-v2000.6615/#post-49791

Could you upload an extended nozzle check? The "Test Print" is the button in the service tool to use. For now avoid using other buttons in the service tool than the "Test Print" and "EEPROM" buttons. The "EEPROM"" button will produce an info print with the printers history.

Your photos of the nozzle checks and alignment prints are perfectly OK for showing the errors. Scans often takes some tweaking of scanner settings to show the errors clearly.

 

[Photofan1986]

Thanks for the links. Here are the results from the print test. I don't really know how to interpret this ...

 

[PeterBJ]

I cannot tell from your service test print if the print head suffers from an electronic damage, but the service test print shows the photo black nozzles all seem to be firing but need some cleaning. The medium magenta also appears partly clogged and light magenta is missing, The medium and light cyan are missing. This could be caused both by clogging and an electronic failure.

I would try uncolgging the print head some more, it sometimes takes more attempts to get it unclogged so some patience is required.

I have read about using steam to unclog a print head, but I don't know the details, could you describe the method please?

Here is an extended nozzle check from an MP540, that is almost OK, note a few missing nozzles. The advantage of the extended nozzle check over the normal nozzle check from the printerdriver's maintenance tab is that the dye colours also show a grid test pattern, making it easier to see if all nozzles are firing. A good light and a magnifier makes studying the extended nozzle check easier, as the grid patterns are small.:

For interpretation of the EEPROM info print see this post and my answer in the next post: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/canon-service-tool-v2000.6615/page-5#post-49833

 

[Photofan1986]

Well, guys, some more news here
I let the printhead during the night on a paper towel with just some Windex (had no ammonia at hand), and a while ago I put the printhead back into the printer for a test print.
Some strange things happen here, as the simple test pattern is about perfect, but when I print the nozzle alignement check, some patterns don't print at all.
However, I tried printing a picture on normal paper, and it was perfect. Then I tried loading some high resolution paper (non glossy), and it came out perfect as well. And finally, I tried some glossy photo paper, and to my surprise, it came out perfect as well (well, there as some minor stripes, but nothing another cleaning cycle will not take care of).

So, technically, there seems to still be something wrong, but the prints look about perfect. Any explanation for this?
Anyway, thanks for helping me out. I would certainly have discarded this printhead long ago if I did not know this forum.

 

[Photofan1986]

??
Well ok, after a couple of prints, the colours went completely wrong. They are completely red. So I suspected an ink flow problem, but when I print on normal paper, the colours are back normal!
How could this be?

 

[Photofan1986]

Ok, I performed an extended nozzle check and I got some interesting results. Clearly, it's much better than before, but still not perfect. I can already see medium magenta, and partially medium cyan, but light cyan is still not visible. I would not have much hope normally, but as I see that the results are better than before the cleaning, I might give it another try, with amonia this time.