ip400 cleaning the printhead

[ip4000]

I've printed about a 1000 pages (text & graphics) and the ip4000 cyan is giving me trouble. When I print the test sheet all other color bars are ok, but the darker cyan color bar is half dark and half light cyan. The lighter cyan bar is light all the as it should.
It is as if half of cyan is stuck:

Cleaning and deep cleaning won't change anything. Are there instruction on how to clean the printhead.

 

[fotofreek]

There are several threads on cleaning printheads on this forum. First, however, you should check to see if the cartridge is working properly. Remove it and gently blow into the air vent (top, rear). Ink should drip out of the ink exit port. If you are refilling your carts you can remove the fill hole plug also and the cart should drip every few seconds. If the cart is ok and you have tried a few cleaning cycles, move on to the suggestions in the head cleaning threads. Look under the top item of the FAQ section - FAQ everything - and click on the one titled "my printer doesn't print properly."

 

[ip4000]

Thanks. Many of the thread start with "pull out the printhead.." and "remove the printhead and...".
How do I do that? The Canon manuals do not give a clue.

 

[panos]

Reverse the process you did when you inserted it. Open the covers while the printer is on, wait for the printhead cart to part in the center, remove all ink tanks, pull the plastic lever gently, pull the printhead gently, let the plastic lever back.

 

[ip4000]

Thank you.

Getting closer ...

When I bought the printer the printhead was there allready.

Which plastic lever? Where is it located?

Often when I open the printer the printhead automatically moves to center so I can swap in full cartridges. Sometimes (whilst filling the cartridge) the printhead moves back. I do my stuff in less than 10 minutes. Is there a button or procedure to get the tray back to center. Opening the printer won't help this time. I have to shut it down and remove power for the printer to resume normal behavious.

I print a lot and have to swap cartridges every day or so. So "swap the cyan cartridge" tip does not work for my cyan problem as I swap cartridges often.

 

[drc023]

The lever in question is the piece of gray plastic directly to the right of the cyan cartridge. From your comment about taking less than 10 minutes to swap the cartridges I get the impression that you are only using and refilling a single set of tanks. If that's the case, I highly recommend getting at least one more set of tanks so that you can keep entire sets in rotation. Then you are only talking about 10 seconds to swap a set vs. 10 minutes. Third party tanks are inexpensive and just as refillable as Canon tanks. Hobbicolors.com has a great deal on both ink and empty refillable tanks. Their eBay store name is kbay2002. I've tested out their stuff and was very impressed with it.

 

[ip4000]

Thanks again,
I went to hobbicolors site. Unfortunately there were no prices (grr! I hate that).
How much do they charge?

 

[fotofreek]

http://search.ebay.com/hobbicolors_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8 is their ebay site. They are currently building their web site and will be selling from their own site soon. You can buy from the ebay site now.

 

[DRoss]

Just give them email and ask for a quote you can buy direct from Hobbicolor with out going through EBAY.
Fast and easy to deal with.