You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
trouble you again ?

I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print head ,
which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).

I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so later
, I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though there
was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that there
were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper settings
and not plain ?

I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no luck.
On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was marked
as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.

For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another Canon ,
HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way too
expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re filling ?
I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT avenue
again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
that's really not an issue...)

Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to repair
the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but before
it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.

Many thanks for your input.

Sparky.

On 01/05/2010 18:34, Sparky wrote:
> You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
> trouble you again ?
>
> I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print
> head ,
> which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
> printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).
>
> I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so
> later
> , I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
> out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though there
> was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that
> there
> were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper settings
> and not plain ?
>
> I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no luck.
> On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
> result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was marked
> as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.
>
> For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
> really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another Canon ,
> HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way too
> expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re
> filling ?
> I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
> That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
> experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT avenue
> again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
> even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
> that's really not an issue...)
>
> Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to repair
> the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but
> before
> it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.
>
> Many thanks for your input.
>
> Sparky.
Probably a bit late now, but I have found that applying external
pressure to a printhead seems to be certain death. I've trashed 2 epsons
by attempting to clear a partly blocked head by squirting/blowing through it

Peter wrote:
> On 01/05/2010 18:34, Sparky wrote:
>> You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
>> trouble you again ?
>>
>> I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print
>> head ,
>> which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
>> printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).
>>
>> I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so
>> later
>> , I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
>> out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though
>> there
>> was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that
>> there
>> were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper
>> settings
>> and not plain ?
>>
>> I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no
>> luck.
>> On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
>> result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was
>> marked
>> as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.
>>
>> For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
>> really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another
>> Canon ,
>> HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way
>> too
>> expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re
>> filling ?
>> I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
>> That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
>> experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT
>> avenue
>> again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
>> even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
>> that's really not an issue...)
>>
>> Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to
>> repair
>> the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but
>> before
>> it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.
>>
>> Many thanks for your input.
>>
>> Sparky.
> Probably a bit late now, but I have found that applying external
> pressure to a printhead seems to be certain death. I've trashed 2 epsons
> by attempting to clear a partly blocked head by squirting/blowing
> through it


While your comments are for the most part correct with Epson heads,
Canon's technology is quite different, and sometimes the head can be
safely unblocked via compressed air.

Epson heads use piezoelectric actuators and a complex channel and pump
system which requires creating a laminated head which, if the nozzles
are blocked can cause the head to delaminate if pressurized fluids are
placed through the ink delivery system. Canon heads use thermal
expansion of the ink column to push ink out of the head, and it is more
straight forward. However, all thermal heads eventually degrade and
fail electronically, due to this continual heading and colling process.

Art

Sparky wrote:
> You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
> trouble you again ?
>
> I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print
> head ,
> which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
> printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).
>
> I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so
> later
> , I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
> out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though there
> was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that
> there
> were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper settings
> and not plain ?
>
> I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no luck.
> On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
> result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was marked
> as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.
>
> For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
> really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another Canon ,
> HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way too
> expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re
> filling ?
> I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
> That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
> experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT avenue
> again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
> even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
> that's really not an issue...)
>
> Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to repair
> the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but
> before
> it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.
>
> Many thanks for your input.
>
> Sparky.

I don;t recall if you requested my Canon cleaning manual or not, which
has a few suggestions on head cleaning beyond compressed air. If not,
you can request a copy by emailing me at:

e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org

(at) = @
(dot) = .

The only other thing I can suggest is that it is possible a bad
connection between the printer and print head has developed for the
plain paper nozzle set. Make sure the contacts are clean, and make good
contact with the printer side.

Before giving up on your printer, consider buying a replacement head.
You may be able to get one via ebay at a reasonable price. However, I
cannot guarantee the head is the cause of the problem, there are other
potential electronic issues.

Art

"Peter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 01/05/2010 18:34, Sparky wrote:
>> You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
>> trouble you again ?
>>
>> I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print
>> head ,
>> which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
>> printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).
>>
>> I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so
>> later
>> , I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
>> out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though
>> there
>> was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that
>> there
>> were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper
>> settings
>> and not plain ?
>>
>> I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no
>> luck.
>> On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
>> result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was
>> marked
>> as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.
>>
>> For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
>> really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another Canon
>> ,
>> HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way
>> too
>> expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re
>> filling ?
>> I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
>> That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
>> experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT
>> avenue
>> again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
>> even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
>> that's really not an issue...)
>>
>> Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to
>> repair
>> the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but
>> before
>> it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.
>>
>> Many thanks for your input.
>>
>> Sparky.
> Probably a bit late now, but I have found that applying external pressure
> to a printhead seems to be certain death. I've trashed 2 epsons by
> attempting to clear a partly blocked head by squirting/blowing through it

I used the compressed air on the 2nd try to revive it. The pressure was very
low as the can was nearly empty , and it did clear a lot of ink buildup
despite having cleaned with Windex

"Arthur Entlich" <e-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BqeDn.166193$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sparky wrote:
>> You were good enough to reply to my post last week , I wonder if I could
>> trouble you again ?
>>
>> I posted regarding removing the carts so that I could clean the print
>> head ,
>> which is missing black. I was concerned they'd be marked as empty by the
>> printer on reinsertion ( they weren't).
>>
>> I cleaned the head , ran a test print , and all seemed OK. A day or so
>> later
>> , I tried to print again using the Plain Paper settings and the page came
>> out completely ' clean ' . No a speck of black ink...it was as though
>> there
>> was no black cart installed. If I remember correctly , you stated that
>> there
>> were 2 sets of nozzles and that's why I could print on photo paper
>> settings
>> and not plain ?
>>
>> I did another clean , and used compress air to blow through , but no
>> luck.
>> On plain paper the page is blank . I swapped for a new cart with the same
>> result ( except this time , when I put the original back in , it was
>> marked
>> as EMPTY ( very annoying ) , so I disabled the Status Monitor.
>>
>> For the past few days I've been looking for replacements , but I don't
>> really see anything that appeals. I'm reluctant to go with another Canon
>> ,
>> HP seems the most likely candidate right now , but their carts are way
>> too
>> expensive , and the only 3rd party alternatives seem to involve re
>> filling ?
>> I'd rather use a machine that has replacement 3rd party carts available.
>> That appears to be Epson or Brother ? I've had Epson before , and
>> experienced the block print head syndrome. Not keen to go down THAT
>> avenue
>> again. From what I've read , the Brother machines seem quite ' reliable '
>> even if the print quality is somewhat lacking ( I don't print photos so
>> that's really not an issue...)
>>
>> Anyway , what I'd REALLY like to know is there anything I can do to
>> repair
>> the plain paper printing on the Canon ? My guess is probably no , but
>> before
>> it becomes a donation to the recyclers , I thought I'd ask.
>>
>> Many thanks for your input.
>>
>> Sparky.
>
> I don;t recall if you requested my Canon cleaning manual or not, which has
> a few suggestions on head cleaning beyond compressed air. If not, you can
> request a copy by emailing me at:
>
> e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org
>
> (at) = @
> (dot) = .
>
> The only other thing I can suggest is that it is possible a bad connection
> between the printer and print head has developed for the plain paper
> nozzle set. Make sure the contacts are clean, and make good contact with
> the printer side.
>
> Before giving up on your printer, consider buying a replacement head. You
> may be able to get one via ebay at a reasonable price. However, I cannot
> guarantee the head is the cause of the problem, there are other potential
> electronic issues.
>
> Art

Thankyou Art

I was actually surprised at the gunk the air managed to dislodge...I thought
it was relatively clean after the Windex treatment.

I think I'll just jolly it along , as long as it prints at all , and hope
that someone comes out with a replacement machine that appeals to me !

Much appreciated ( I'm sure I'll be back ! )

Sparky