And the Mutoh problems march on...Help anyone?

[Circleville Signs]

Well, I finally got the damper cover off - and unless it's absolutely necessary, I'm never putting that stupid thing back on there again!!!!

That isn't the issue though.....

The reason i replaced the dampers is because I was getting pretty serious banding issues across all media on anything with heavy saturations of blue and/or black. They hadn't been changed since I bought the printer, so I went ahead and did it.


Finally got that done. NOW, I can't get any ink to the dampers. There is no ink flow to the lines leading into the dampers. The printer would at least print before yesterday - now I'm at a TOTAL standstill.

I haven't tried the syringe yet to check flow - I will do that tomorrow. But does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

 

[artbot]

when you change a damper, the thing to do is to pull the ink back with a syringe. having the printer do it lacks "feedback" to the "tech" for each channel as far as leaks, pull strength needed, etc. if it's all the dampers and none of them have pulled at all with the pump pulling,.... it's doubtful that all the dampers have air leaks after changing, but possible. it's more probable that the pump isn't hooked up. but (sorry) i haven't been following the previous threads so i'm not sure what's previously been done to this printer. btw, what kind of mutoh is it?

 

[Circleville Signs]

It is a 1304 - I bough it new and other than regular maintenance (wiper, and basic. Leaning), nothing has been done to it until I replaced the dampers today.

 

[artbot]

i'd start with pulling at a single damper. if you see ink come up the line and fill the damper, and the ink stays put. ...then you don't have leaking dampers. it's odd that all of them aren't pulling during an ink fill up. is it possible that you didn't put the o-rings in? sometimes one o-ring is on diagonal and causing an issue at a single damper. but "all the dampers" points to some kind of missed step.

 

[Conor Knoxx]

If memory serves .... I think I used a syringe to draw ink into each damper. I think there were actually several forums I found here to help with "damper replacements" I do recall a problem though (which I didn't find in forum threads) if the the 1304 is the same (and pretty sure it is) there's 2 dampers for each color. Using a syringe only worked if one was in place, while I drew on the other - because there's only one color line which splits to feed the 2 dampers, if I had both out, putting suction on one just drew the ink/air from the other. As long as the other was seated in the head/manifold assembly though, the system was essentially "sealed" and it would draw ink right in, no problem.

I believe afterwards I did a few head cleanings and all was well.
Hope this helps! ( I do SO well remember that helpless, sinking feeling of having work to produce, my printer being out of commission, and not being sure what the heck to do!)

 

[formanek]

You have to use a syringe to pull the ink back to the dampers. I have had the Mutoh tech on my printer three times do to banding issues. It has had all the dampers replaced, PF motor, PF reader, PF card, and finally the printhead. The print head is what finally solved the issue. $2000 for a print head so thankfully it was still under warranty.

 

[Sooner Printing]

There is a video on YouTube on how to do it

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1cySWf9E6V4

 

[FatCat]

Gary, I realize this may be a dumb question, but are you sure you're getting suction from your pump and/or a good seal around the capping station? While I agree with what has been said so far, I'm wondering if your maintenance station is more to blame on your recent problems???

 

[artbot]

conor knoxx probably solved a big dilemma. i wasn't aware that the ink supply was split. sorry. you could also put a splitter on your syringe and pull two dampers at once. but it is a concern that with them all seated, the ink fill will not pull. one of the best ways to determine an air leak is to listen. turn off all noise making things in the room and pull a vacuum below the caps at the waste line. you will hear the leak. then with an automotive stethoscope you can pinpoint the leak.

 

[Graphics2u]

Gary, I realize this may be a dumb question, but are you sure you're getting suction from your pump and/or a good seal around the capping station? While I agree with what has been said so far, I'm wondering if your maintenance station is more to blame on your recent problems???

+1

Even if you can pull ink to the dampers with a sirynge you won't be able to do good head cleanings if your capping stations not sealing good. Sometimes the little hoses on the bottom of the cap get plugged with dried ink also, which will block the suction of the pump.

 

[Circleville Signs]

But would the capping station be the cause of the problem so suddenly? The printer was working just fine (other than banding in dark saturations) before I changed the dampers...

 

[artbot]

no. i'd start with just proving that any one damper is hooked up right. say, pull the two black dampers. block off one of them with a plug. pull a vacuum on the other. what happens?

also, i remember back in the day, my pump tube would fall off my capping station on my fj50. i'd freak out trying everything to only discover it was just that. have you looked around the pump to make sure you didn't bump something that might create such an issue?

 

[Stealth Ryder]

Gary, I realize this may be a dumb question, but are you sure you're getting suction from your pump and/or a good seal around the capping station? While I agree with what has been said so far, I'm wondering if your maintenance station is more to blame on your recent problems???

1304 Issues = 1. Replace Maintenance Assy. 2. Clean the Encoder Sensor

 

[FatCat]

But would the capping station be the cause of the problem so suddenly? The printer was working just fine (other than banding in dark saturations) before I changed the dampers...

Gary, it may not have EVERYTHING to do with your current issues, but my guess is that it was likely the start of all your problems. Have you tried to hook a syringe up to the drain lines and push/pull cleaning fluid through the lines with the head off the capping station? If you can easily push/pull fluid through both the drain lines (pinch off the opposite line that you are not working on) then no problem. If you can't or feel a lot of resistance then you need to work on it to get it cleared because without that suction your head is going to clog because the pump is pulling at nothing.

*FWIW - When my MS started failing, I first noticed things like missing nozzles, then it progressed to losing suction and when I'd come in first thing in the morning I'd notice a small air bubble here or there in the ink feed lines above the dampers. Through trial and error I found it was a combination of clogged drain lines (inside the pump itself where I couldn't get) and a failing seal on the capping station. I worked hard for about 2 weeks off and on trying to clear the lines with cleaning fluid before finally giving in and replacing the MS. As soon as I replaced the MS, all was fine.

So as others have said you can try to hook up a syringe and physically pull ink down into the dampers and head, but I'm guessing that without that pump suction it won't stay there. Hey, I could be wrong, but it would be an easy thing to check first. Besides, if you haven't replaced it in 2 years it's due anyway.

 

[Circleville Signs]

So - today I got in new o-rings, some more dampers, and the correct syringe. I get everything put in properly, and lo and behold, I'm able to draw ink through the lines using the syringe....

HOWEVER

I can't get ink into the dampers. It's like it gets to the valve at the top of the lines leading into the dampers and won't go any further. I know I have a good seal, because I can pull ink all the way from the cartridges to THAT point. I was able to get a little bit of ink, along with a lot of air, into the yellow and magenta dampers, however when I try to actually run a nozzle check, I'm getting nothing.

I'm at my wit's end here. Anyone have ANY ideas?

 

[Stealth Ryder]

I will call as soon as I can Bro...

 

[jhanson]

There's a major issue to be aware of when working on the heads or dampers on any ValueJet. You do NOT need to loosen the screws securing the print head when merely replacing dampers; if you do, the head is spring-loaded and can pop out of position easily.

I've seen many people try to replace dampers without knowing this, and they get everything put back together except the head is not fully seated in the carriage, and can't get a proper seal from the capping station.

Pull the head carriage out, and check with a flashlight to make sure the print head surface is level to the platen. If it's not, remove the dampers again, undo the screws holding the print head retainer in place, reseat the head (make sure that the spring tab is pulled fully toward you when inserting the head) and put everything back together again.

EDIT: Sorry, missed the part where ink didn't go through the dampers... I've seen that happen because of blocked cartridge needles on occasion.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Thanks Stealth - I'm MIA until probably 9:00 PM ESt.