Canon PIXMA MX926 Print Head Replacement

[husaskin]

Did you ask Canon support for replacement of the printhead? Here in Germany it is 89€ including all shipping costs.

I've sent canon an email and awaiting a reply for a price.

 

[stratman]

You have an irreparable failure of your print head.

1) The vertical train tracks in the PGBK latticework is due to irreparable nozzle warping. This seems to be related most often from using aftermarket inks. But you use OEM. It still happens. A workaround is to not use the Plain Paper setting, which uses Pigment Black to print black. Use a Photo Paper setting, even with plain paper, which uses a composite Black made from the Dye-based inks.

2) There is irreparable electronic failure - horizontal fixed straight line of missing ink - in the Cyan swaths. Because of this, the above workaround will still have issues.

3) There appear to be other defects that are inconsequential regarding warranty replacement, if you still have warranty, because of the other two issues.

The solution is a new Print Head. Still, there is rare issue of an electronic failure in the Print Head propagating to the logic assay board. If so, then a new print head may have the electronic issue propagated to it from the bad logic assay board. This appears to be quite rare but has occurred. Overwhelmingly, a new Print Head will resolve all your issues.

The low page count (201 -250 pages) means this is a barely used printer, specifically the waste ink counter that keep track of how filled the waste ink pads are. When filled, the waste ink counter must be reset or the printer will not function at all.

Whatever you decide, print something every month that uses all the cartridges, even a nozzle check will do, if using OEM inks (sooner if aftermarket inks). To avoid nozzle warp then slow down the printer using queit or nighttime mode. This will slow the printing and generate less heat that is the cause for the warping. Lastly, stop print immediately if there is a loss of ink in the printed image. With Canon's, the nozzles heat up the ink and then eject it. The ink is used to cool the nozzles during this process. Heat can kill a nozzle if applied long enough. Stop printing and post here with a nozzle check and a sample previous sample of the ink loss. Nozzle checks are safe to print but nothing else until the issues is resolved.

 

[husaskin]

You have an irreparable failure of your print head.

1) The vertical train tracks in the PGBK latticework is due to irreparable nozzle warping. This seems to be related most often from using aftermarket inks. But you use OEM. It still happens. A workaround is to not use the Plain Paper setting, which uses Pigment Black to print black. Use a Photo Paper setting, even with plain paper, which uses a composite Black made from the Dye-based inks.

2) There is irreparable electronic failure - horizontal fixed straight line of missing ink - in the Cyan swaths. Because of this, the above workaround will still have issues.

3) There appear to be other defects that are inconsequential regarding warranty replacement, if you still have warranty, because of the other two issues.

The solution is a new Print Head. Still, there is rare issue of an electronic failure in the Print Head propagating to the logic assay board. If so, then a new print head may have the electronic issue propagated to it from the bad logic assay board. This appears to be quite rare but has occurred. Overwhelmingly, a new Print Head will resolve all your issues.

The low page count (201 -250 pages) means this is a barely used printer, specifically the waste ink counter that keep track of how filled the waste ink pads are. When filled, the waste ink counter must be reset or the printer will not function at all.

Whatever you decide, print something every month that uses all the cartridges, even a nozzle check will do, if using OEM inks (sooner if aftermarket inks). To avoid nozzle warp then slow down the printer using queit or nighttime mode. This will slow the printing and generate less heat that is the cause for the warping. Lastly, stop print immediately if there is a loss of ink in the printed image. With Canon's, the nozzles heat up the ink and then eject it. The ink is used to cool the nozzles during this process. Heat can kill a nozzle if applied long enough. Stop printing and post here with a nozzle check and a sample previous sample of the ink loss. Nozzle checks are safe to print but nothing else until the issues is resolved.

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation I really do appreciate it. As I originally suspected its the print head that is gone bad, hence why I decided to buy another one in the first place. I will try and contact canon today and buy a new print head - I really don't want to buy a new printer because this one is a good printer and I like it... its a shame its going to cost me over $100 to buy a new head. But ill see and get back to you about cost...

I will try the photo paper option, I doubt that will work, but ill give it ago as you suggested.
Thank you

 

[stratman]

Thank you very much

You are welcome. Thanks for answering questions and posting the images.

I will try the photo paper option, I doubt that will work, but ill give it ago as you suggested.

Due to the the problems with the Dye-based inks it is unlikely a satisfactory workaround depending on your threshold for imperfection.

Please let us know what you decide and how it works out.

 

[husaskin]

Hi

I used the photo paper option and this is how turned out... its actually more consistent (still blurry but more consistent). I wasn't expect that to happen.

 

[PeterBJ]

The reason the print is also blurry with the photo paper setting is that the photo black BK nozzles are also damaged. See this 5 X magnification of your uploaded nozzle check:

This is also typical of this generation of Canon print heads.

Newer Canon printers similar to the MX925 are more expensive to run, see this so maybe it is worth buying a new printhead?

 

[stratman]

I used the photo paper option and this is how turned out... its actually more consistent

Looks the same to me in my quick examination.

This is a repetitive issue. First, make sure the print head is securely inserted in the carriage and locked down (if there is a locking lever). You could try a Print Head alignment, automatic first and then a manual if the first doesn't fix it. You could clean the Timing Strip. You can also clean the electronic contacts on both the print head and the carriage it sits in.

 

[husaskin]

I've done a head alignment. I really do think I just need a new head.

when I said more consistent, I mean it was all the text not just some, like on plain paper..

 

[stratman]

The two Windows test pages you posted appear identical.

I don't think you are able to choose a Paper Setting such as Photo Paper with Windows 10 when printing a Windows Test Page. The printer automatically uses Plain Paper setting for this operation.

If you want, print some text that allows you to choose Paper Type and then post it. You may also want to try High/Best quality printing as this forces unidirectional printing instead of bidirectional as occurs with Standard quality. This may improve or worsen the results.

Bidirectional printing - print head prints both forward and return movements of the print head.

 

[PeterBJ]

I also suspected that Windows Printer Test Page only would print in pigment ink even if photo paper was selected as medium. I printed the test page with an iP7250 that is of the same printhead and cartridge generation as the MX926. I printed the test page with both plain paper setting and photo paper setting.

A webcam modified to work in near infrared clearly shows that the photo paper setting causes only dye ink to be used. Pigment ink is clearly visible in IR and dye ink is invisible. The left half of the picture is the plain paper print, the right half is the photo paper setting print. Notice the text is (almost) invisible: So @husaskin could you have uploaded the same print twice?