Canon IP6000d, soaking print head

[mobbarley]

I have an IP6000d which has been sitting around for about 6 months doing nothing. Ive tried to get it going with set of generic inks before I purchase a CIS system.

Doing the deep clean and nozzle check I got the test pattern to about 90%, but there were a few stubborn nozzles so I decided to soak the printer head. It was soaked in warm water and ink came out almost instantly. I got everything I could out of it and left it for a bit longer. I let it dry for 24hrs, then reinstalled it and the generic carts.

I ran a few cleaning cycles and did the nozzle check, almost nothing printed out! This is still the case ~5 hrs later. I assume ink has to re-fill in the head and this might take some time? I have a feeling that the generic carts arent allowing ink to flow, should I try widening the air gallery at the top of the cart witha needle?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Grandad35]

A few questions:
1. Did you remove the tape over the vent hole?
2. When you pull the generic carts (one at a time), is there a small puddle of ink on the ink pickup, or is it dry? If it is dry, the generic carts aren't delivering ink to the pickup.
3. If you reinstall the original carts and run a cleaning cycle does the nozzle check look OK?

If the generic carts aren't delivering ink, sometimes gently blowing into the vent port until a few drops of ink come out (while holding the cart over a folded paper towel) will start the ink flowing. I always check this when installing a new cart.

 

[mobbarley]

Hi Grandad,

This is what I suspected. I have removed the tape and they are installed properly, however the is only a slight tinge of colour when I remove them. I dont have any original ones to try.

I have tried blowing on the vent hole as well, had little effect. As I dont care about the carts (just need to know if my print head is in order), Im going to try slightly widening the air gallery on top.

Wish me luck, this could get messy.

 

[AlienSteve]

I have tried blowing on the vent hole as well, had little effect. As I dont care about the carts (just need to know if my print head is in order), Im going to try slightly widening the air gallery on top.

Widening the air gallery?

Perhaps the vent hole is not clear. If no air can get in, ink cannot get out.

I would not have let the heads dry for 24 hours. Leave them full of distilled water, install the carts and run cleaning cycles and test prints to flush the water and refill with ink.

Although I have let print heads dry out a lot longer than that and still had success. However, I've then done major head cleanings to refill the heads with ink. Printing will -not- do this, as printing requires ink present to work. Head cleanings use a vacuum pump under the park pad to draw ink through.

An issue is that the air in the space between the nozzles and the inlet screen tends to keep rising to the screen and not get drawn out the nozzles easily.

 

[digitalartist71]

if all fails... more than likely the PURGE UNIT/lines pump is clogged. have to take apart and purge manually with syringe and hot water...not scolding just hot tap water. if the the pump cannot PRIME the ink....then u won't get any ink out. the lines or purge unit/ or capping station where head rests on is probably dried up.

search for my thread about this a ways back for my Canon IP 3000 Pixma. ("Mystery solved" in subject I think?)