MX7600 banding

[palombian]

I converted my good old MX7600 to I.S. ink recently, but I am not sure this problem is related.
At least it did not occur the first weeks.
(thanks to The Hat for the advice on the PGI-7BK cartridge)

As you can see the color prints have horizontal bands, and sometimes, especially the first pages, are even displaced (img 1).
It is most prominent in fast printing (img2), less in photos standard quality (img3) and in high quality (img4).
(the line in the middle is in the scan unit)
Last image the innards of the printer.
I see dirt on the timing strip, could this be the reason ?

JW

 

[The Hat]

I wouldn’t be too worried about the quality you getting from your printer, besides any printing done below standard quality is usually not always the best anyway.

If you are still worried about it then run a manual head alignment and use some sort of magnifying glass for choosing the best settings..

 

[palombian]

Agree, I was planning to extend the life of this machine (in B/W it is still very good and fast).
Probably I am the only and last owner of this type .

IMO the banding has to do with the speed of the print head.
In "fast" it sprays unidirectional in large bands, with higher quality probably it passes 2 times, masking the inegalities.
I'll try to get the right fat to grease the bar (I heard it blocking yesterday).

 

[The Hat]

I see dirt on the timing strip, could this be the reason ?

Try and give the timing strip a bit of a clean that should help also..

 

[palombian]

I'm getting error code 5100, stopping in the middle of a page with vertical positions deflecting to the left.
Must be a print head transport issue.
In Standard and Fast quality no problem (at the moment).

 

[The Hat]

The 5100 error usually referrers to the timing strip, so have you clean it or not and if you have you’ll have to clean it again both sides..

 

[palombian]

Didn't do anything yet.
How do I proceed ?
Window cleaner, isopropylalcohol ?

 

[The Hat]

Window cleaner or alcohol will do just fine for cleaning the strip, just be careful not to pull the strip off the end clips, and please power off the printer for your own safety..

 

[palombian]

I cleaned the plastic strip, no more errors and in high quality the prints are good (but slooow).

In low and standard the equally spaced bands are gone (as in MX7600_2), but I have again the smeared out and displaced colors (see MX7600_1), at least on parts of the page.

Only the colours are in waves, black print on the same place on the page is correctly positioned and printed.
I can understand that when the colour nozzles are blocked that the colour is faded or missing at some places, but how can it be laterally displaced ?

Nozzle checks and (automatic) alignment prints are ok.

 

[The Hat]

If your colours are still displaced then it is more than lightly that your cartridges are to blame, (Ink Starvation) on one or more of your cartridges and if you can’t figure out which cartridge is effected then try this print below and it will highlight the problem colour cartridge for you.