Mutoh 1204 VJ Print Issues

[os101king]

3 year old Mutoh VJ 1204, no major service ever done, just had an issue with an empty cartridge that was pulling ink into itself and not printing correctly. I fixed that but the vinyl I was using tunneled on the platen and I believe I got headstrikes. No amount of cleaning has made any difference in this pattern. Any ideas as per the photo? It's coming in a sec...

 

[os101king]

Is head replacement (if that winds up being the case) a possible for a DIY repair??? Is it something that requires specialized tools and knowledge or just extreme patience and care?

 

[MachServTech]

If you have worked on other digital printers, sure, but its not something I would walk folks with no exp. through over the phone. If you insist, get the service manual and practice doing all of the alignments first. That way if you don't install the head properly you will have a good understanding of what the alignments are supposed to look like.

 

[os101king]

i'm in communication with tech where I bought it currently. trying to narrow down the actual issue BEFORE i start any parts ordering. I will definitely digest the manual fully and work through some alignment prints and practice before I try a replacement, thank you. It's not a matter of insisting, it's simply a matter of funds. They are not available, so I am forced to do my own service. In fact they're not available for the parts either, but I can't afford to be down long. Here are more images. Printed a test file one way then rotated with different results....

 

[dclet]

I will definitely digest the manual fully and work through some alignment prints and practice before I try a replacement, thank you.

I do not think that is what he meant...

I have been looking for a "service manual" also.

As for the pictures...doesn't look like a head issue...you sure it's clean under the carriage

I have several nozzles on my vj out, not currently an issue but in my search of idea's and remedies I found this ~
http://www.printhead911.com

 

[os101king]

relatively sure... guess a dental mirror (if i had such a thing) would help greatly. no other way to see under there.....

 

[John Butto]

test prints

I would use different media and a different profile before getting into anything first, how does your test print with the lines look, are they all clean. I to have a 3 year old 1204 and it still runs great, keeping my fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc.

 

[os101king]

Yes, they're all clean. Used five different profiles so far, no difference in ANYTHING. Nozzle check is as follows.

from left to right first magenta block partially there, missing most on the bottom three lines, second block gone completely. y and c are perfect, then K is about the same as M for the first block and again the second is completely gone.

 

[os101king]

Wait, different media? Did you look at the photos? It's ONLY in magenta and black. Would you seriously think that that could be the media?

 

[randya]

Can we assume that by cleaning you mean head soaks as well?

Missing nozzles can explain most of what you've posted.

It does not seem to explain the first pic with the brown with the green at the edge.
I am assuming that that should be black and that the green is on the right side of the print.

Just to rule out the RIP:

http://www.mutoh.com/kb/entry/68/

 

[trebor28]

Seems very simular to what happend to my valuejet, mine had a head strike that pushed the printhead up at one side and so wasnt able to make good contact with the capping station.

The engineer didnt need to replace head, but just realiign it.