Canon Pixma iP4000 printing streaked even with new printhead & cartridge

[cksdjs]

Cyan Lt. shade began printing streaked first (reg cyan was still okay). After numerous cleanings, even the reg cyan began streaking. I replaced the printhead - and the cartridge, and after only a few printed pages, the cyan began streaking again. Maybe it isn't in the print head this time. Could something in the printer itself be wearing out, after all this time, and quite a few printheads?

 

[aford10]

It sounds like you need to perform some printer maintenance. Try cleaning the printheads in the printer maintenance tools.

 

[cksdjs]

I had already cleaned over and over before I replaced the printhead. Then did the same thing with the new printhead after I thought maybe the cyan cartridge had messed that one up too.

By the way, I can get the printer to print cards and pages without streaks, but only by having the settings on Glossy Photo Paper and High quality, no matter what kind of paper I am printing on. If you do a nozzle check, the cyan is still streaked, because you cannot select paper and quality for the nozzle check.

 

[aford10]

I had a streaking problem with a pixma photo printer too. I ended up getting rid of it. It didn't print well, and it was an ink hog.

 

[cksdjs]

I've been using this Pixma since sometime in 2006, printing over 100 Christmas Cards each year, plus hundreds of postcard Christmas Cards for the kids at St. Judes, without streaking problems. I also printed Pageant Programs for the Ms. Senior Pageant 2 years in a row -- approx. 300 books each year -- and this last year the programs had ads, so each book was made up of 7 sheets of paper, printed on both sides.

Up until now, a clean printhead has always solved the problem.

 

[aford10]

With that much printing, there could be a buildup of ink inside.

 

[cksdjs]

With that much printing, there could be a buildup of ink inside.

Inside what part of the printer? And how do I do something about it? I have not gotten the notice that the Waste Ink is full. I will try the reset on that though. I had to do that in Oct. of 2008, so I have the instructions.

 

[cksdjs]

The Waste Ink reset did not help. Both stripes of Cyan are still streaked; every other color is just fine.

 

[aford10]

If the resevoire isn't full, then it's not a buildup.

This is from your printer manual:
Colors Are Uneven or Streaked

(1) Open the printer properties dialog box.

See Opening the Printer Properties dialog box from your application program

(2) On the Main tab, click High for the Print Quality setting.

then

(1) Open the printer properties dialog box.

See Opening the Printer Properties dialog box from your application program

(2) On the Main tab, select Custom for the Print Quality setting and click Set.

(3) Click Diffusion for the Halftoning setting.

 

[cksdjs]

I thank you for the information. I had thought about trying that, but I was just now printing out some song lyrics, and the printer turned itself off, and now will not turn back on. All I can find out from the printer software, is that the "Printer is Offline". Guess maybe that answers my question about the printer dying.
Guess I'll have to get another one down out of the closet. I bought 2 extras when I learned it was one of the last printers Canon was making that I could still fill the cartridges.

 

[cksdjs]

The printer died --it wouldn't even turn on to remove the ink tanks. I had to take out one of the back-ups.

 

[aford10]

That sux. But it would explain the sketchy behavior.

 

[Bristow]

FWIW, the service manual for the IP4000 says that failing to turn on or turning off immediately after turning it on is either the power supply or the logic board.

 

[pixmaker]

Another strange streaking problem. . .my iP4000 has been an outstanding printer producing many beautiful 8½x 11 color images on glossy photo paper.

But now, for some reason, these images still print well except for the last inch of a landscape print where magenta streaks appear on every print. It's as if the photo black cartridge runs out of ink at this point and slowly begins to print again.

I've talked to Canon with no help.

Has anyone experienced this problem? If so, did you solve it?

Has anyone any ideas about fixing this problem? It's driving me NUTS!

any ideas will be gratefully received. Thanks!

pixmaker