I can't change the ink cartridges

[Lee Dickey]

I have an Epson Stylus Color 740 that I have not used for
a while. I turned it on recently and it went through
what seems to be the usual gyrations -- back and forth,
spinning of wheels, and so on, just one light blinking.

I then I tried to print a page. The paper fed through
and the cartridge went back and forth many times. I
thought it was printing, but the page came out white.

I am thinking that perhaps the cartridges are plugged up
and I should change them. I press the "ink" button (the
one with the four droplettes and the up and down pointing
arrows) on the front, and more gyrations and more back and
forth, but at the end of it all, the cartridges do not
park at the right spot for removing the ink.

What should I do? Take it to repair shop or deep six it?

Help please.

 

[Don Phillipson]

I have an Epson Stylus Color 740 that I have not used for . . .
and I should change them. I press the "ink" button (the
one with the four droplettes and the up and down pointing
arrows) on the front, and more gyrations and more back and
forth, but at the end of it all, the cartridges do not
park at the right spot for removing the ink.

What should I do? Take it to repair shop or deep six it?

When buttons do not make the print mechanism stop in the
right place to remove cartridges, you can do it by pulling
the plug at the right instant.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Neither.

If you don't have the manual, go to Epson.com, then to the country you
are living in, or Epson US, and go to support and download a copy of the
manual for your printer.

In it will be a section on replacing an expired or outdated cartridge,
with the button presses to do so.

Usually you have to hold down the cleaning button or buttons for several
seconds to get the head to move. If you don't hold them (it) long
enough, or if you don't hold them (it) firmly enough, the printer will
register a request for a head cleaning instead.

Do not toss your old cartridges, you may need them to make up cleaning
cartridges.

If you replace the cartridges, and still get poor or no ink delivery,
email me and I will send you a manual for unclogging Epson printers. NO
charge, and no spam. The materials to do it are available in your local
grocery for a couple of bucks.

Art

 

[tomcas]

I have an Epson Stylus Color 740 that I have not used for
a while. I turned it on recently and it went through
what seems to be the usual gyrations -- back and forth,
spinning of wheels, and so on, just one light blinking.

I then I tried to print a page. The paper fed through
and the cartridge went back and forth many times. I
thought it was printing, but the page came out white.

I am thinking that perhaps the cartridges are plugged up
and I should change them. I press the "ink" button (the
one with the four droplettes and the up and down pointing
arrows) on the front, and more gyrations and more back and
forth, but at the end of it all, the cartridges do not
park at the right spot for removing the ink.

What should I do? Take it to repair shop or deep six it?

Help please.

If an ink light is flashing (indicating low) or lit continuously
(indicating empty) then: With the printer on, open the cover, press the
cleaning button (far left one with the ink drops icon) for 3 seconds
till the cartridges move to the left.
http://files.support.epson.com/flash/sc670_/emptink.html

If the ink light is not yet flashing or lit but you want to change a bad
or outdated cartridge then the process is the same except press the
middle button (paper icon) for 3 seconds instead of the cleaning button.
http://files.support.epson.com/flash/sc670_/oldink.html

 

[Arthur Entlich]

This isn't a good idea, because the printer will not acknowledge the
cartridge replacement and will not go through the longer and more
forceful purging cycle to remove air and old ink from the heads.

Sometimes the buttons get a bit intermittent and you need to hold/push
them a bit more forcefully to maintain the contact for the few seconds
required.

Art