After Oiling and Cleaning Need Your Feedback

[TheOneGuy]

Hello. I read advice here about using PTFE oil to lubricate printhead rails. I have PTFE bike chain lubricant for dry weather. After applying it the printer no longer squeaks when printing.

I performed cleaning using cleaning liquid that had syringe, tube and adapters in the package because it was my main task. The process was messy because the cartridges compartment is recessed and has not enough space for easy access to the nozzles. I broke a small part of plastic that helps hold cartridges door but it still closes. I had to use one of 2 tweezers I had but it still was hard to connect the tube. I found plastic tongs in the kitchen that worked well here. I think the ones like on the photo below will work a lot better than tweezers:

Here are the results. It seems all colors except black are cleaned properly. I also do not understand what is alignment test and why 2 tests that I did presented slightly different results. I did not adjust alignment on 1st test but only on 2nd test. Here is a test print and alignment test after performing cleaning using 3ml of liquid in every nozzle. Click to enlarge for finer details:

Here is a second test. I kept instructing printer to perform cleaning of black and all colors:

Here is a continuation of 2nd test after I pulled out black color and injected another 2ml to clean. I let
the liquid remain inside for 5 hours as well. Strange that half of line is missing.
Since then I only performed black color cleaning:

In the next scans of print test 3 you will see black color turning almost good in (2)(2)(2) and (3)(3)(3) but then returning
back to having gaps in (4)(4)(4) and (1)(1)(1)(1) and (2)(2)(2)(2). I wonder why:

Here is 2nd alignment test. If you compare it to 1st you will see differences. Note though that they
were made without me adjusting matches so the differences could probably be after additional cleaning done?

What do you think about black color and alignment? I still don't understand what alignment does.
I was asked if pattern No 5 somewhat matches pattern No 0 however it does not even closely match.
I chose patter No 8 later because it was slightly close.

Thanks.

 

[TheOneGuy]

Hello...

 

[The Hat]

You’re not having much luck with your request for help ?

First things first, you need to run a nozzle check to be sure you don’t have any blocked nozzles, and if you do then run a cleaning cycle till you get a good clear nozzle print without bits missing, then and only then do you continue..

If you wish you can run your head alignment test, but as you’re unsure what it does and what you can do with the results, then I suggest your use the automatic head alignment and not a manual one…
P.S. there is very little support here for Brother printers..

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Don't do any printhead alignment until you have a perfect nozzle check pattern, the alignment function won't help you at all with nozzle problems. There is a service/maintenance mode possible for brother printers, access to it is the same for all the DCP printers, and described in the service manual for a similar printer, there are purge functions available

https://www.printerknowledge.com/th...rint-clearly-certaincoliurs.15523/post-135441

 

[TheOneGuy]

You’re not having much luck with your request for help ?

First things first, you need to run a nozzle check to be sure you don’t have any blocked nozzles, and if you do then run a cleaning cycle till you get a good clear nozzle print without bits missing, then and only then do you continue..

If you wish you can run your head alignment test, but as you’re unsure what it does and what you can do with the results, then I suggest your use the automatic head alignment and not a manual one…
P.S. there is very little support here for Brother printers..

That's what I did several times. Cleaning cycle after nozzle check. I will do again but what annoys is the waste of paper when doing nozzle check. Every check wastes 1 sheet. My printer does not have automatic alignment function.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

but what annoys is the waste of paper when doing nozzle check. Every check wastes 1 sheet.

turn the paper around, and you get 4 nozzle checks on one sheet of paper, and if you cut the paper in half even more.

 

[TheOneGuy]

turn the paper around, and you get 4 nozzle checks on one sheet of paper, and if you cut the paper in half even more.

I used to do that previously until getting paper jams often. I tried cutting paper in half one time but received error. Do not remember exact wording but it was something about out of bounds. Then I selected custom size which I had to measure from cut paper and it worked.

Did not know about existence of maintenance mode. Thanks for mentioning it because it came handy just at the right time. Here is why. After several cleaning cycles black cartridge that had little has depleted. Every nozzle check of black color was worse than previous:

Cleaning of black color, followed by nozzle checks from top to bottom. I found it strange how in 2nd nozzle check black turned out to be almost good but worsened later until I got the error:

After inserting a new black cartridge and performing a couple of additional cleaning cycles and nozzle checks I received the following error: "Unable Clean 46 See troubleshooting and routine maintenance chapter in User's Guide."

Before I received the error I did last few cleaning and print checks and here are the results:

I don't know what might have caused the printing quality of black color to worsen so much. Could ink be bad in a new cartridge? Could air enter the system? Or it could be due to repeated cleaning cycles without letting printer to "rest"?

I will shut down the machine and learn about maintenance mode.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

How many pages did you print so far ? The printer is about 15 years old, which type of cartridges are you using - Brother orginal or some 3rd party type ? I'm running a DCP-195C which is about 10 years old, and I'm using large refill cartridges which let me use a dye black ink instead of a pigment black ink, pigment blacks tend to cause more problems over time since it is more diffiucult for the printer to keep the cleaning unit free from old pigment residue. Cartridges for these old printer models don't have any chips so refill cartridges are easy to handle .

 

[TheOneGuy]

How many pages did you print so far ? The printer is about 15 years old, which type of cartridges are you using - Brother orginal or some 3rd party type ?

In total or today? I printed very infrequently (1-2 sheets per 2 months on average) until the end of the year when I had to print hundreds of pages for tax filing. Between that most of the time printer was not used. I remember that I even unplugged it from power to stop it "wasting" ink for automated cleaning routine. Bad move on my part since the ink is dye-based and is 3rd party time. Eventually I would be able to get it for cheap locally so I would not have to order from abroad.

 

[The Hat]

In total or today? I printed very infrequently (1-2 sheets per 2 months on average)

You’re never going to keep your printer working properly with your infrequent use, I’d suggest you dump the printer and get a Mono laser printer as a much better and more reliable option..