MX892 - Refilled cartridges leaked - Need cleanup help

[peterloron]

Hello, folks. I refilled the original Canon cartridges for my MX892, and was able to successfully print a few pictures. However, when I printed some the next day, they had off colors and some streaks. Upon examination, I found that the three (CYM) I had refilled were leaking.

Joy.

Apparently I didn't do a clean enough job of drilling the hole in the top, allowing the plug to leak air. The magenta cartridge was leaking black colored ink at first. I gently prompted more ink to leak out and it gradually turned magenta again.

Can some kind soul point me to what needs to be done for cleanup? I'm assuming that the print head needs to be removed and cleaned out. Looks like there is a sponge below that. Can that be removed and washed?

Next, I'd like to salvage the Canon cartridges. I drilled the hole right above the "ink tank" on the label. Can I glue or seal the plugs in with something that wont screw up the ink? A tiny dab of silicone aquarium caulk?

Thanks!

 

[mikling]

I have seen someone recommend this method and can't recall whom but credit goes to that person. The method is to use a hole punch and punch out little circles or cut some out of clear plastic packaging. Use a hot melt glue gun and put some glue around the hole and then press the circlular covers over it to patch or seal.

To clean out the printhead, just remove from the printer, and rinse the insides out under the tap. Rinse the magenta line to get rid of the black ink.

If the magenta has black ink, the black ink leaked out and ran back up the magenta cartridge. So repair the black one via the above.

The magenta cartridge can be left open to drip out the contaminated ink. If that is not sufficient, then fill the ink tanks with water a few times and let it drip out. Finally, use a paper towel, roll it up into a ball and put it against where the ink normally comes out and let it wick out all the ink. After that, refill it and you are good to go.

 

[peterloron]

Thanks for the info! I suspect it was the cyan cartridge that leaked and got into the magenta. I didn't touch either of the black cartridges.

I'll check all of them for contamination, of course.

 

[joseph1949]

To: peterloron

First things first. peterloron, you are a newbie so dont feel bad you had leaks. When I first started out I had lots of leaks. It goes with the territory.

Important note: Do not flush the printhead under the faucetyou may do more harm than good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have never flushed my printhead to clean-up my leaks.

Please follow the instructions below and if you still have a problem you can flush the printhead. But please first contact this site for detail instructions on how to flush a printhead under a faucet or whatever.

The Instructions:

Tools needed: tissues, cotton swabs, a small mirror

1. Remove the carts from printhead.

2. For the carts that leakedcover air maze and fill hole with tape and cover the ink outlet with an orange cap. For the carts that did not leakcover the air maze with tape, cover the fill plug with tape (belt and suspenders here!) and cover the ink outlet with an orange cap. After you have taped/capped each cart place the cart in a safe spot and be sure the cart is in the horizontal position (like it is in the printhead).

Note: peterloron, if possible , please take pictures of the fill holes on the carts that leaked and send the pictures to us in your next reply or as soon as possible.

3. Remove the printhead from the printer.

4. Remove the rubber gaskets from the ink inlets. Please take careful note on the orientation of each gasketwhich side is up, which side is down, which side is on the right, which side is on the left, etc. When you remove a gasket place the gasket in a small, wide mouth jar. Do not place the gasket any old place if you do you will lose a gasketbet on it!!!!! After you have placed all the gaskets in the jar put the jar in a safe place. We are not done with the gaskets. More on this later.

5. Whatever you do with the printhead, please be gentle!!!!!!!

6. After you have removed the gaskets take a clean, dry cotton swab and clean around each of the ink outlets. DO NOT TOUCH THE INK INLETSBIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Use a different swab for each outlet. You do not want get C ink on a Y ink inlet or whatever. If you do, do not worry about it. The purpose of the cleaning is to remove any liquid ink around the inlets. If you see any dried ink it is not a big deal. If you like you can remove the dried ink. Using a dry swab you will not be very successful. You can use distilled water or isopropyl alcohol on the swab (remove any excess liquid from the swap, please) to remove the dried ink. Again, you will not be very successful. Dried ink is not that big of a worry. Just leave it alone.

7. After you have removed the liquid ink around each of the inlets you can proceed to clean up the liquid ink on the exterior of the printhead. If you printhead is like mine (I have a MX870.) you will have lots if indents, grooves, etc. that you will have to clean. You can use dry, clean swabs and tissues to clean-up the liquid ink. Note: BE GENTLE. If you see dried ink leave it alone.

8. You will have likely noticed liquid ink around the slits on the printhead. Canon tells us not to touch the slits. I think that this is good advice. I have cleaned the slits with no harm to the printhead (knock on wood). It is your call to clean (using dry swabs and tissues) the slits. Note: BE SUPER GENTLE HERE. It is best to clean AROUND the slits. Do not touch the slits directly.

Note: It is natural for the slits to have some liquid ink around them. Just clean the excess liquid ink.

9. After you have cleaned the printhead set it aside in a safe spot.

10. Using the mirror see into the interior of the printer. If you see any liquid ink you need to remove the ink. Being very gentle, with the mirror in one hand and a swab in the other proceed to remove the liquid ink. BE GENTLE. You are not digging for gold!!!!! If you like you can use tissues to clean-up the ink. If there is any liquid ink in a difficult spotLEAVE IT ALONE. You will do more harm trying to clean-up the ink than just leaving it alone. Leave dried ink alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11. If there is any liquid ink on a contact, you will need to be extra careful and gentle when cleaning the contact. If you see dried ink on a contact leave it alone. If you think you need to clean the contact you should contact this site for cleaning instructions. If the contact has ink on it and the printing looks good do not mess with the contact.

12. With the printhead cleaned you can now clean the rubber gaskets. Place liquid soap into the jar. Place warm water into the jar. Move the gaskets around. Remove the gaskets and place the gaskets on a paper towel. Dry each gasket by hand using a paper towel or a tissue. BE GENTLE!!!!!! After the gaskets are dried place the gaskets around the ink inlets. Be careful with orientation!!!!

13. With the gaskets on the inlets place the cleaned printhead into the printer.

14. Place new OEM Canon carts into the printhead. It is not good to leave the printhead naked (i.e. without carts). The ink inlets on the printhead need to be covered up and not naked. If the inlet is not covered it will dry upNOT GOOD!!!!!!

15. Run a nozzle test. If the test is good, wait one hour or longer and run another nozzle test. If this is good you are good to go. If the first or second test is bad contact this site, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

16. Holding a tissue place your hand inside the paper outlet tray and move your hand around. You need to get into all the corners of the tray. What you are doing is removing any liquid ink that seeped down to the outlet paper tray.

17. Next remove the paper holding tray and see if there is any ink. I have never seen ink on the paper holding tray or on the paper. And I have had lots of leaks. Go figure!!! The printer must be sealed very well from the paper holding tray. Is this on purpose or a happen accident!!!!!

peterloron, I can help you with your carts, but I need to see a picture of your fill hole. Using hot glue and using my coin/paper method to make a top fill plug you can just about fix any top fill hole problem.

peterloron, please be sure to give me the size of the fill hole with your next reply.

Note: peterloron, your printer may have a clearance problem. If this is so you will need to keep the cap on the top fill plug to no more than 1/16 of an inch. Any higher the printer could pull the plug out of the cart. This could have happen with your plugs.

Thank you.