Canon iX4000 print quality

[Really-Peter]

I didn’t know that I had a problem with the print quality on my printer, until I used it to print four colour swatches to be sent to a paper supplier for them to create ICC profiles for use with their papers.
However the company concerned emailed me to advise me that the swatches I’d supplied were not good enough to create any ICC profiles from. They did offer suggestions regarding ways to overcome the banding that they identified. To be honest I didn’t notice the banding!
I have always used Canon ink cartridges with the printer. The printer is only used occasionally.
I have run a couple of Nozzle Checks, print head alignment, a clean and a deep clean.
Looking at the last nozzle check print (attached) I’m unsure if the lighter lower part of the second magenta strip is correct or if this is a problem?
I would appreciate some of your knowledge in determining if there is still an underlying problem with my iX4000. I did run a nozzle check on my iP8850 printer to compare it against the iX4000 one (I may be trying to compare apples and oranges).
The only difference that I could see was in the horizontal colour blocks at the left side of the nozzle print. Those on the iX4000 have a solid pair at C & M with corresponding half twin colours. I hope that makes sense.
I look forward to your thoughts/comments regarding the nozzle check print.
My apologies if I haven’t supplied sufficient information.

 

[stratman]

Welcome to the forum, Peter.

The horizontal striping on the second, lower Magenta swatch, as well as the striping on the vertical blocks for Cyan and Magenta, most likely demonstrate an irreparable electronic malfunction probably of the print head, but may be of the logic assay board. It may also represent a failure in both print head and logic assay board.

Chances are, though, a new print head will resolve the issue. And there lies the rub as new, unused print heads for your printer may be as rare as hen's teeth since Canon typically stops making replacement pasts once a printer has been on the market for 5 years. Consequently, entrepreneurs (ie thieves) from China have been cleaning up old used print heads, repackaging them in counterfeit foil and boxes, and selling them as "new" on the internet. You may get one that works, but the failure rate is extremely high.

All this said, you may try flushing and soaking the print head to see what happens. Flush the print head under tap water till little to no ink comes out, then soak in a bowel, nozzle side down, with water and some liquid dish washing soap like Dawn or Fairy to just above the ink inlet ports. Others prefer to use Windex with ammonium D, or similar solution, instead of soap.

I like to place a wadded up paper towel under the print head and push the print head (nozzle side down) up and down on the paper towels every now and then to help move water into the print head. Change the water and paper towel when the water gets dirty or every 12 hours. You can gently heat the water in the bowl to lukewarm before placing the print head in it.

Patience is KEY. Soak for several days if you can. Then flush with water, using distilled water as a last step if you have water with a lot of minerals in it, let dry over night and then reinsert into the printer for a try. A regular cleaning may be performed. Sometimes, letting the printer "rest" overnight may also allow for ink to redistribute and show improvements the next day. If there is any improvement then post a nozzle check.

 

[The Hat]

I look forward to your thoughts/comments regarding the nozzle check print.
My apologies if I haven’t supplied sufficient information.

Hi Peter, I too have an iX4000 printer for ten years and found it very robust, but like your, my print head is looking much the same but with one exception, I have a spare print head waiting to go into it when I need to use it to print again.

As previously stated your print head is way beyond saving and that means you have lost a valuable friend, your only choice now to search for a new printer that will suite your current needs, sorry for your loss…

P.S. The print head Code number is QY6-0064..

 

[stratman]

I have a spare print head waiting to go

Says our resident collector of hen's teeth.

 

[Really-Peter]

Welcome to the forum, Peter.

As previously stated your print head is way beyond saving and that means you have lost a valuable friend, your only choice now to search for a new printer that will suite your current needs, sorry for your loss…

P.S. The print head Code number is QY6-0064..

Thanks for the information wrt cleaning. I will give it a try without much hope of sucess. I've just searched on the internet nothing available in the UK but oodles are able to be shipped from the Far East with prices from £7.99 up to £80+, so thanks for your warning regarding the quality of those types of suppliers. I do have another printer a Canon iP8750, that will replace my sickly iX4000.
I’ve just run a windows print page test on the iX4000 an it does seem to produce a usable print, so I may just use it for non important printing. Untill it dies totally and has to be dispatch to the printer graveyard .

 

[Really-Peter]

Hi Peter, I too have an iX4000 printer for ten years and found it very robust, but like your, my print head is looking much the same but with one exception, I have a spare print head waiting to go into it when I need to use it to print again..

Ah... "the luck of the Irish" I could do with a bit of that, not only has the iX4000 started to play up but my document shredder has just spluttered into oblivion .
I have just noticed a spring resting in the printer output tray. I shall add an image of it just in case it has any bearing on the sickly iX4000
Watch this space.

 

[Really-Peter]

Further to my comment above regarding a spring. The spring (see attached picture) is shown where I first spotted it. To my uneducated eye it could possibly have been ejected when I printed the nozzle check?
But equally it may have nothing to do with the print head issue but the spring did seem to have some ink residue on it.
Any thoughts on the significance of the wayward spring ?

 

[The Hat]

If your printer can still work then ignore the spring, if it won’t, then you should get an error code which will help you find its original location, but it will mean a trip under the top cover, so ask yourself is it worth all that effort..

Check out the Canon Maxify printer range, I am sure one of it's models would suite…

 

[martin0reg]

Says our resident collector of hen's teeth.

There are still offers for buyers of hen's teeth:
http://www.ceins.de/Original-Canon-Druckkopf-Printhead-QY6-0064-000
Trusted seller, but the price was 75€ - two years ago

 

[Really-Peter]

Thanks Martin, but at €118.75 I’ll have to pass on purchasing one of those.
However maybe I should consider getting a spare print head from my iP8750, if such a thing is available?.