Salvaging long unused Pixma Pro 100

[PeterBJ]

I think the problem is caused by a dirty, bent or broken contact spring for the cyan chip. The CLI-42 cartridges are physically identical to the old CLI-8 cartridges, so see this post about a similar problem.

 

[jimbo123]

try resetting it a few times, that sometimes works for me.

there is a lot of 8 empty CLI-42 carts w chips on ebay for $9.99 shipped
https://www.ebay.com/itm/163428329938

a new CLI_42 CYAN is $16 on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Canon-CLI-42-PC-Photo-Cyan/dp/B0098HW3DI?th=1

J

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• Active Printers: MX700(2007), MP980(2008), MX870(2010), PRO-100(2013)
• Stored Printers: IP4500, MX700, MX860, MX870, MP980
• Past Printers: MP830
• Method: German Durchstich Method
• Ink: Hobbicolors, then OCP, now ASPEN
• Misc: Squeeze bottles - so much easier than syringes

 

[PeterBJ]

Moving the good print head to the other printer might give you a working printer, but it might also ruin the good print head.

When a Canon print head fails there is a risk that it damages the main board. A main board damaged by a print head might damage a new print head.

In many Canon service manuals it is recommended that both the print head and main board are replaced in case of a defective print head.

 

[palombian]

As a "Senior on a fixed income", I decided a long time ago that I couldn't afford Canon CLI-42 cartridges in my Pro-100. I have used OEM carts, drilled and plugged, a chip resetter, and Precision Colors ink for many years. No problems at all, acceptable prints on Canon papers.

Unfortunately, I now have a problem. The Pro-100 simply will not recognize any ink cartridge in the cyan slot. I am considering trying to swap some parts from a spare Pro-100 (bad print head), or putting the print head from the recently-working printer into the spare. Decisions, decisions...

It seams an isolated problem and not a printhead fault.

I suppose you tried cleaning the contacts (where the cyan cart connects in the printhead) with some alcohol ?
Did you try a new cyan cart ?
Otherwise remove the printhead and clean there (although I wonder the problem should be there).

 

[Artur5]

I think the problem has nothing to do with the printhead. The chip pins make contact with 4 wires connected directly to the logic board of the printer through internal cabling, bypassing totally the printhead. Provided that both the chip and the printer contacts are clean. I believe that PeterBJ is right. The problem is a broken wire somewhere.

That happened to me with a Pro9000 years ago. In the end I discarded the printer, because I couldn't fix it. Later, when disassembling the machine (as I do always with my deceased printers) I found the "root of evil". One of the thin long wires that make contact with the cartridge's chip was totally rusted in a certain spot. My assumption is that a bit of spilled ink leaked down inside the plastic part where those wires run and slowly corroded one of them until eventually electrical contact was broken.