Canon MP960 spurting out black in through paper exit slot

[msmart]

ferny, welcome to the forum. Rather than clicking "Post reply" in this topic, it would be better to back out to the forum index and click on the "Post new topic" link to start a new topic for your problem.

Having said that, I think one of tubes on your purge unit has come loose. To give you an idea of what it looks like have a look here:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4882

You may have to disassemble your printer a bit to get access to the purge unit to see if a loose tube is, in fact, your problem. Hopeless, not just yet.

 

[ferny]

I have a very messy problem, which I am beginning to think is the end of my MP960. It has started to spurt its PGBK5 ink out of the paper exit slot, to the right of center. It gets forced out when the printer is prepping for printing or doing a nozzle check. You can see it bubble out in spurts, and you could even hear it. Some air may be pushed out with the ink (thus the noise?). I've seen the ink forced many times, although it doesn't always happen. It makes a puddle in the output tray, and will soak several square inches of paper if I let it. I can sometimes get clean pages, but most end up with spots of ink, if not soaked in ink.

I switched to a new cartridge, and for about a week it quit leaking, but now it is once again leaking and making puddles. I've tried cleaning the print head. I can't get to the "parking station" aka service station where the print head sits when idle. Is it worth my time to try to take the printer apart to get to it, or is the problem likely elsewhere? If so, any guidance on how to get access to it? (the scanner lid only raises a few inches, and the station location is covered by plastic, so I can only barely get at it and I can't see what I'm doing). I don't want to damage what I can't see. I think there's a wiper there, but I'm not even sure about that.

msmart suggested that one of tubes on my purge unit has come loose, but also suggested I post the description of the problem here in case someone has had this happen and found a solution. I really don't want to replace this printer because this one has been great.
Thanks!

 

[mikling]

It is likely that either a tube has come loose or the absorber pad is now not willing to accept more ink for some reason i.e. full. The last resort to this is to locate the leak and either reconnect it or lead the waste ink out externally if it is a pad issue. My vote is for surgery...the bubbling nature suggests it is wholly due to the waste ink and not the cartridge itself.

Trigger37 knows the method of disassembly.

 

[ferny]

I have uploaded a video of the ink bubbling/spurting out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17UBG3X8Cc

The video is showing the section about 2 inches from the right side of the paper tray. The bubbling you see actually sends small drops of ink all over the paper tray and even past it onto the floor. Increase the video quality to see it better. Sorry the lighting is poor, but I really didn't want to make it do it again on purpose! Has anyone seen this behavior before?

One strange thing I should add is that it will leak ink and ruin pages, then for several days I can print with no visible problems, then it starts spurting ink again.

I can't find any info on taking apart an MP960. It is a photo-all-in-one, and disassembly does not seem easy. I fear trying to take it apart will become one of those projects I will regret (hours later) after diving in, especially since it still sometimes works.