Canon MP620 not printing black

[turbguy]

Looking at the service manual, you really need to only follow disassembly instructions for replacing the ink absorbers (starting on page 36/54) instead of disassembling the entire print engine, to ACCESS the purge unit for inspection and potential repairs.

While that deep down, you may want to replace, or at least wash out the ink absorber blotters/diapers. They can be a mess to clean/dry/refit. Unfortunatly, it appears you will need access to Canon's Service Tool Software to reset the counter. Older machines could be "user" reset, as service mode didn't require this software, just button pushes in the right secret order.

Perhaps someone else on the forum could tell you where to get the software....and any cautions while using it.

Wayne

 

[markbatey]

I think I'm going to call it a day on this one, I'm not that confident of my ability to take a printer to bits. Plus I've now had a couple of error 5001 messages and I can't find the jam that it applies to. Thanks very much to everyone who's chipped in here, I really appreciate all the help on offer.

Just one thing - my confidence in refilling cartridges has taken a bit of a knock on this - is it possible that I've done something wrong that may have caused this fault with the purge unit, or does it just look like coincidence? I wonder if I overfilled the PGBK cartridge for instance?

I'll now by taking turbguy's advice and checking out medium priced Epsons as a replacement.

Thanks again guys.

M

 

[ziggy]

This thread has really been helpful to this newbie! Thanks to everyone.

My 7-year-old Canon MP500 began to print faint or no black, and when tested it printed only the top half of the PGBK test pattern. I ran all the cleanings in the printer several times, no change, and even the entire PGBK test pattern disappeared. Colors were OK. Took out the print head (per forum instructions) did the soak & overnight dry (a LOT of ink came out), and re-installed head and carts. Now just the top half of the PGBK test pattern is printed as before, and there is little or no black in any printouts.

When I just tried to scan an image of the tests to post on this site, I discovered the MP500 will not scan to my new iMac! Found out the MP Navigator did not transfer with the change-over from the old computer, so I put in the PIXMA setup CD and got the message that it is no longer supported. Soooo to make a long sad story even longer, I guess it's time for a new printer! Any suggestions for a light-duty home use print/scan Canon would be most welcome. (I will look elsewhere on this site too -- everyone is so helpful!)

Oh, and I had the PGBK5 and the 8 magenta refilled at Costco a while back. They seemed to work fine for about six months, but now I'm wondering if refilling there could have caused the problem.

 

[Jgroot]

Hi, as a newbie to the site and to printer troubleshooting I found this thread exceptionally useful when my MP620 also stopped printing black. The similarities to markbateys story was such that I decided that I must also have a blocked or malfunctioning purge system. I use my printer infrequently, often with weeks or even months between starting it up. My printer (mis)use would support the idea of a blocked purge system. I have no ammonia in house to try out the tests that we're suggested, but having an evening free I decided to disassemble my MP620.

The service manual for the MP640 was invaluable, though not always exactly correct for the MP620 (E.g. on page 36 of that manual it is stated that 6 screws must be removed to separate the bottom case from the switch system; for the MP620 you have to remove 7. The seventh is fixing the USB port at the front of the printer). The disassembly itself went successfully and I ended up cleaning one of the exhausts of the purge unit which was certainly clogged up. Not seeing directly any other obvious problems I reassembled the system, cleaning as I went. Reinstalled the print head and cartridges and did a clean, nozzle check, deep clean, nozzle check. All to no avail. There is nothing coming through on the pgbk. ( all the rest are ok) I did do the white tissue test on the print head after the deep clean and I certainly seem to be getting something there but nothing is getting on the paper.

I'll get some ammonia solution in the next few days and try the tests that turbguy suggested.

If there are any other suggestions please let know.

Ps I am not using canon cartridges but I'm not refilling my own either.

 

[stratman]

I'll get some ammonia solution in the next few days and try the tests that turbguy suggested.

Use Windex with Ammonium D (original Windex) if you can. Others have had success using liquid dishwashing soap such as Dawn (NOT an automatic dishwater soap!)

Ps I am not using canon cartridges but I'm not refilling my own either.

Not sure what this means. In general, recommend original OEM Canon cartridges if refilling. If you are using aftermarket store bought cartridges then recommend they not be refilled.

Recommend you post a nozzle check. Start your own thread and include you post above.

Do not print anything other than a nozzle check for now nor do anymore cleanings. You may have already burned out some nozzles, but we'll give the benefit of the doubt at this point.

Does the purge system work properly? You have not said so. To check the purge system:

The purge unit for the Pigment Black may be malfunctioning in one of several ways. Use a syringe/needle, soda straw, long eye dropper or some other implement FLOOD water on top of the purge pads. Water should POOL on top of the 2 pads. It takes more than a couple of drops to FLOOD the purge pads. The purge pads are located to the extreme right as you look into the inside of the printer. When the printer is idle or powered off, the print head rests above the purge pads. Open the lid and you will see the print head come to and stop in the middle, like when you change cartridges. Now use a flashlight to see the pads to the right. FLOOD the purge pads making sure you see a pool of water above them then close the lid and perform a simple cleaning. Open the lid and look to see if the water is now gone (the pads may even look a little less blackish). Report if you are unable to FLOOD the pads, if the POOLED water doesn't go away. Report your experience - if it worked as expected or not.

If you have not already tried a new OEM cartridge, or a known working cartridge, then do so before soaking the print head, though you can try checking the purge system before buying a new cartridge.

Let's hope that dismantling your printer has not introduced another variable.

 

[Harvey]

Curiously I found myself in the situtation that pigment black is not printing when using the MP620. First problem was several years ago, and last week the second time.

This time I tried to solve the problem with Windex just to avoid involving water in the process, and just little hints of black were on paper, so I did what now twice worked at first time for me.

My failure proof method is to boil water, (not in the microwave), place the printhead horizontally so the nozzles are facing to you,(for some precautions I covered with toilet paper the openings above the inlet ports this in order to avoid water or steam wetting the printhead board) and then you fill any syringe (a 50 or 60 cc is better for the time you keep spraying water on the nozzles, remove the needle to fill it then attach the needle, this way you avoid long wait time filling and the water is still hot) and pour the content on the nozzles of pigment black in a sweep and slow motion from top to bottom. Also with the same syringe spray water in the inlet port and the purge pad. (Only boiling water cleared the filter in the purge unit without removing it).

It is important to apply great pressure to the plunger to make this more effective. I think this is the principle of pressure washer which loosens the pigment particles in the nozzles with pressure aided whit hot water.

I am pretty sure this won´t fail. Perfect nozzle check guaranteed.

Note: You can mix water with Windex if you wish in a 1:1 ratio, using distilled water is better to avoid sediments or minerals in tap water. All these steps are optional.

 

[PeterBJ]

...Note: You can mix water with Windex if you wish in a 1:1 ratio, using distilled water is better to avoid sediments or minerals in tap water. All these steps are optional.

It certainly is. Never mix ammonia or a cleaning solution contaning ammonia with hard tap water, for print head cleaning. You risk making the clogging worse instead of cleaning the print head. See this post.