Pixma IP5200R Black is not printing

[GuidoL]

This priter has been standing unused on my desk for over a year. I guess I don't print much any more...
The other day I wanted to print some tickets I bought online. It was then I found out the black does not print any more.

The thing that I can't explain by myself is the fact that there is new black ink on the print head but it never gets on the paper...

I tried a whole bunch of tricks (that I've come to learn here) to resolve the issue but now I have ran out of ideas...

What I've tried so far:

1. Replaced the black cardrige with a brand new OEM one. (used none OEM in the past)
2. Several deep cleanings to no avail. Even bought a special cleaning cartridge for it.
3. Manually cleaned the print head by soaking it in water and using WD-40.
4. Unscrewed the two small screws on the print head and cleaned the gray rubber thingy under the white plate.
5. Checked the purge unit and cleaned the purge pads with amonia.
6. Checked if the purge pump is still working by dripping some water in the purge pad area and do a deep cleaning. The water was pumped away.

As for point 5, I'm not sure I've cleaned the pad good enough. It's not getting white like the other one. Also not sure if it's porous structure is all opened up again. I don't know if this even matters...

If this is a faulty print head I want to be absolutely sure about it, because these things cost a fortune. For a little more one can buy a whole new printer. The thing is, I still have some OEM cardriges stocked up and It would be a shame not to use them.

Is there anything else left that I can do to try and fix this thing?

 

[turbguy]

I assume you are having problems with the PGBK ink only? (That ink is only used for black text).

Disassembly of the print head (#4) is a really risky operation. If you feel comfortable about doing it again, then you can force cleaning fluids through the print head passageways using a close fitting tube over the ink inlet to see if there is a solid ink clog in the passageway. You could actually try it without disassembly, but you must be really carefull not to damage the nozzle plate (the parts on the ceramic plate) with overpressure.

 

[stratman]

Is it the PGI-5 or CLI-8 Black that is not printing? Printing just a nozzle check and posting it here would be useful.

Regardless, not printing for one year is good enough reason for a clogged print head. Using WD40, not a recommended approach on this forum that I can recall, may be destructive to the print head.

Taking apart the print head is a last ditch procedure and more than likely will cause permanent malfunction of a print head, at least that is what has been reported on the forum. It sounds like there is no change from before and after taking the print head apart, so that is a small victory for you.

Cleaning with full strength ammonia is also not recommended. http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/another-canon-printhead-bites-the-dust.8457/#post-66463

Good news that your purge system is still working. As there are two purge pads, one for PGI-5 Pigment Black and the other pad for all the CLI-8 Dye-based colored cartridges, I do not know which purge pad your refer to as "not getting white like the other one." If pooled water vanishes with a simple closing of the lid and then opening it up again, rather than doing a deep clean, then your purge system works and the whiteness of the pads may not be of importance.

One of the newer recommendations for a clogged print head is to soak it in diluted liquid dish washing soap (not the kind for a dishwasher!) like Dawn in the USA or Fairy in Europe. Read this thread started by The Hat all the way through: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/a-little-fairy-story-or-is-it.8579/

In the end, it sounds like you will most likely need to obtain a new print head, but consider giving the dish washing liquid soak a patient try. It could be your print head does not have a clog but rather gave up the ghost (electronically speaking) and nothing will revive it. There are refurbished print heads from China but no guarantee they will function properly. Caveat Emptor.

 

[GuidoL]

Thanks for the quick replies. This forum really is helpful!

The problem is with the PGBK ink indeed. The nozzle check does not print anything at all for the PGBK. Not a single drop of ink hits the paper. No stripes, no fainted grays really nothing!
But there is ink coming out of the nozzles. I've seen that the print head nozzles had ink on them after I cleaned them and tried to print a test page.

Taking the print head apart was not that big of a deal. Just made sure I was really gentle and was extra carefull not the rip or tear the plastic that holds all the conduits. Then it took me some good amount of patience to fit the parts back together...

For the record. I did not use full strength ammonia, That is not even to come by where I live. I have a 5% watered down bottle of ammonia from the hardware store.

There a two purge pads; one square shaped on the right for the colors and one fairly rectangular on the left for the PGBK. When I cleaned the square one with water, the color came out, my water turned blue and the pad turned white. The black one from the left hand side stayed black and the water didn't even change color. As if the black ink in there was totally dried out.

I doubt that the print head is clogged but there is no way I can tell for sure. I'm gonna try the two weak soaking pointed out and report back.

If someone can explain why there is ink coming out the nozzle but not getting on the paper that would be great. I mean is it a pressure ting or how does that even work?

 

[GuidoL]

I've made a picture of the print head after printing a single page of text. I made sure I cleaned the head with a paper towel before I started printing. So all that ink on the edges of the nozzle is coming out the nozzle. Not a single drip of ink is hitting the paper though. Does this look like a clogged print head?

 

[The Hat]

If after all of you’re soaking and cleaning the printer still doesn’t work for you and you’re not prepared to buy a new print head, there is still a way to continue to print, all be it a bit slower !

When you are ready to print just change your paper type to photo glossy or matte paper and just use your copy paper to print on as normal then the printer will still print out your documents much the same, without using the PGBK black..

 

[stratman]

Only print nozzle checks and nothing else for now unless advised otherwise.

Although you already have complete loss of Pigment Black ink in printing, you do not need to chance other issues from occurring such as IF this is just a clog problem then continued attempts to print will reside in burnout of nozzles that need the liquid ink to cool them during printing. You may have already irreversible destroyed the print head from continued attempts to print.

Who knows what the original issue was - electronic malfunction, clog, logic assay board, purge system??? Your description of testing the purge system sounds like it is working. The length of time the printer was not used certainly adds to the evidence that there is a clog. The leak of what you presume to be PGI-8 Pigment Black ink inside the print head may be due to gravity, nozzle channels that are broken, CLI-8 dye-based ink cross leakage, or something else.

Regardless, the print head is most likely irreversibly malfunctioning and a new print head is the solution. Whether the logic assay board is malfunctioning is a question. A new print head that performs identically to your current one would give strong evidence the logic board is malfunctioning -- An expensive diagnostic procedure but you would have your answer as to the viability or ease of repairing the issue(s).

Based on what you have posted, try soaking in dish washing liquid diluted with water. Be patient. If this does not work then either obtain a new print head or purchase another printer.

 

[stratman]

If after all of you’re soaking and cleaning the printer still doesn’t work for you and you’re not prepared to buy a new print head, there is still a way to continue to print, all be it a bit slower !

When you are ready to print just change your paper type to photo glossy or matte paper and just use your copy paper to print on as normal then the printer will still print out your documents much the same, without using the PGBK black..

Reasoned logic and thriftiness from @The Hat!

Using only the CLI-8 colors to print text will cause streaking with highlighters and there may be noticeable potential differences in the deepness of the black and the sharpness of the edges of the font. But, any of these points may be of no consequence to you, so give it a try. The IP5200r is a great printer and eminently refillable.