Canon Pixma MP980 magenta stripes - clean printhead?

[hobbeschild]

I went for it, as it had dried overnight. But it has actually got worse. I'm not cross - it was worth a try. It's lasted a long while and I'm resolved to get a new printer.

I really appreciate the time you have taken over this.

 

[stratman]

But it has actually got worse.

The worsening of what was good before indicates to me the ink inside the nozzles has moved around but has not been totally flushed out. Unless something funky happened, this is likely resolvable.

I am encouraged to see the dye-based Black is returning. Flushing and soaking are working. To what extant only more soaking and flushing will reveal.

It could be that letting the cartridges sit in the print head overnight and then running a cleaning cycle followed by a nozzle check may show improvement. More soaking, preceded and followed by copious flushing, as well as plunging action of the print head against the paper towels in the bowl of solution should eventually unclog more and more nozzles. This is a game of patience.

What is not encouraging is the unchanged Magenta pattern. This is either one tenacious set of clogs or irreparable damage to the Magenta channel. I fear the latter.

You have nothing to lose at this point. Get back on the soaking horse when you return from holiday.

 

[The Hat]

But it has actually got worse.

I know I diagnosed your print head as been a lost cause, but your latest nozzle check is a bit odd looking, have you had a look at your purge unit, it may not be functioning properly...

 

[PeterBJ]

You find a purge unit test here. The purge unit can be difficult to reach in a multifunction printer, you could use a squeeze bottle or syringe with a long blunt needle attached. Use as long a needle as you can obtain.