My wife's Canon ip4000 became gostoppen.

[Osage]

After six years and at least 9000 pages, almost all on dirt cheap refill ink and original print head, that day came when my wife turned on the printer,
and it would not print. A little superficial troubleshooting on my part showed the problem. #1 the flashing light that on turn on that is supposed to go from flashing to a solid green stayed on flashing. #2, when I lifted the top lid, the print head and cartridge assembly never moved to center the position. A little pull on my part could move it to center, or back to its normal to the right parked position, but by printer power alone, the print head assemble refused to move.

But my immediate impression was this was going to be a hard to repair problem. If I took it to a Canon authorized repair center some 50 miles away from me, it would cost me much more than the printer was worth.

BUT

If I did not have bad luck, I would have no luck at all, but my lucky wife sought out on ebay, and nailed an advertised working ip4000 for about $70.00 shipped. It arrived today. All I had to do if swap cartridges from my old printer to the new one, proceed to print a test page and a subsequent perfect nozzle check, and then to learn we were back in chip less cartridge refilling business.

But now I have a new problem, how do I get my old ip4000 from gostoppen to restarten? Or I can simply pull the print head, clean it, store it and hope in future to have a otherwise working print head to add to a Canon printer with a known bad Print head I might buy on the used market that will work with that print head? Be it a pixma ip4000 or any of the MFC 750, 760, or 780 models.

Right now my post is somewhat of a fishing expedition, I did not write down the error number I got, but I can later easily retrieve that. But can any shed any light on why the print head assembly fails to move. Is it a busted and hard to find and replace electric motor, or can the old printer be easily repaired?

Any insights from knowledgeable Canon repair folks appreciated.

 

[Redbrickman]

First check that nothing is jamming the carriage from moving. Sounds obvious but really have a good look in there with a torch, as something small may have fallen in and could have been there for a long time.

I have a printer with the same problem but it is intermittent. The Error is 5100 and the head stops in the left side and will not come back to the park position on the right hand side.

I am going to remove the head, clean it, and store it as a spare as it has only done about 200 pages in total.

Good luck with it.

 

[stratman]

If there is an error code, post it. If there is a repeatable pattern to the flashing lights, post it. Motors, contacts, ribbon cables, motherboard are considerations as is a foreign object jamming like Redbrickman wrote. Once you post additional information then someone may be able to pinpoint the issue better.

Until you know what the problem is, DO NOT put the old print head in your newly acquired printer. It is possible that even thought the origins of your printer's problem began with something other than the print head, that the print head may have subsequently been affected and could transfer that issue to your "new" printer.

 

[headphonesman]

Until you know what the problem is, DO NOT put the old print head in your newly acquired printer. It is possible that even thought the origins of your printer's problem began with something other than the print head, that the print head may have subsequently been affected and could transfer that issue to your "new" printer.

Just to labour the point also do not try your newly aquired print head in your old machine on any account.

 

[Tin Ho]

When there is a problem with the print head usually the printer will not move the carriage the usual way. Don't try your old print head on the new good printer.

 

[stratman]

Just to labour the point also do not try your newly aquired print head in your old machine on any account.

Thanks for adding that crucial message! Good catch.

 

[Osage]

If there is an error code, post it. If there is a repeatable pattern to the flashing lights, post it. Motors, contacts, ribbon cables, motherboard are considerations as is a foreign object jamming like Redbrickman wrote. Once you post additional information then someone may be able to pinpoint the issue better.

Until you know what the problem is, DO NOT put the old print head in your newly acquired printer. It is possible that even thought the origins of your printer's problem began with something other than the print head, that the print head may have subsequently been affected and could transfer that issue to your "new" printer.

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No I have not swapped print heads. But using the old printer with the original its printhead replugged into the computer yields two visible patterns.

(1) At power on, light flashes, then soon reverts to green alternating with orange in an unending sequence. (2) Going into the win XP control panel, selecting printers, and then Maintenance, and which then allows me to request the printer print a test page. Of course with printhead assembly parked to the right, that is not possible. But after the operations fails then it shows error code 6A00--which I what I think my original error code was. Because I note, I did not load either paper or cartridges into my my old ip4000 in this attempt to retrieve an error code.

 

[PeterBJ]

The pixma 4000 service manual is here : http://www.timtaylor.net/tech/iP4000 Service Manual.pdf

According to page 1-5 the unending alternating green and orange flashes indicate a ROM error in the logic board assembly.

A defective printhead can ruin a logic board, and a defective logic board can ruin a new printhead, so I would not recommend buying spares for that printer.

Peter.

 

[Osage]

The pixma 4000 service manual is here : http://www.timtaylor.net/tech/iP4000 Service Manual.pdf

According to page 1-5 the unending alternating green and orange flashes indicate a ROM error in the logic board assembly.

A defective printhead can ruin a logic board, and a defective logic board can ruin a new printhead, so I would not recommend buying spares for that printer.

Peter.

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looks like I may be wrong, I get a 12 alternating orange green flashes, a slight pause, and then 12 more. Not sure what it means, But I am getting contrasting advice when I google error 6A00

 

[stratman]

I get a 12 alternating orange green flashes, a slight pause, and then 12 more. Not sure what it means, But I am getting contrasting advice when I google error 6A00

PeterBJ was gracious to provide a link to the Service Manual for your printer. It lists what the potential problem(s) are based on your description.

2-2. Service Call Errors (by LED Blinking in Orange and Green Alternately, or Lit in Orange)

LED alternate blinking in orange and green = 12 times

Error [Error code] = AP position error [6A00]

Solution (Replacement of listed parts, which are likely to be faulty) = Sheet feed unit (QM2-1220) and/or Logic board ass'y (QM2-1548)*1

Your printer appears to need new guts. Now you need to decide if you are willing to spend the money and the time to fix it. If not, consider giving it away or selling it locally for someone who might have need for the remaining functioning parts.