Epson 1400 with CISS: prints out black smudge

[just2print]

I purchased this printer with the CISS installed. It worked beautifully.
It started printing out black smudges where the text should be. I'm not getting any help from the guy other than telling me to ship it to be fixed.
If anyone reading this may have encountered something similar and has any advice, I would be grateful.
Thanks!

 

[turbguy]

Can you please post a photo/scan of the problem?

 

[costadinos]

Maybe you placed the bottles too high, causing ink to overflow, try lowering them and see if that helps.

 

[just2print]

Can you please post a photo/scan of the problem?

Photos are not printing out correctly either. Probably partly because of the black ink smudging; but the printer has been sitting unused for a while because of the black smudge problem. The nozzle check printout shows fairly normal for black.

 

[just2print]

Maybe you placed the bottles too high, causing ink to overflow, try lowering them and see if that helps.

The position of the ink tanks have not changed from where they are velcroed to the end of the printer. But I will lower them; worth a try. thx.

 

[jfcarbel]

Curious, did you buy this on eBay? I have seen these auctions there but always avoided as I want to deal with folks and companies that have good reputations here on this forum. The one I saw there also had a ink potty installed and they labeled the CISS the Executive III system. Which looks like a more improved version of the CISS deluxe I have now with micro screens and metal popet valves.

I had noticed a similar thing when experimenting with my CISS during my troubleshooting of my Epson 710. What caused the heavy ink on mine was I left the larger cap that seals at top of tank off.