No ink flows from cartridge to ink tube before the Mutoh valve. Issue on gravity feed

[artfull]

Hi!, After vacation from month of Feb. I attended again my printing ventures. Now I have this issue while after long absence from printing.
My printer no longer prints. As I check, the issue is within the cartridge ink flows to the ink tube. I know that this use gavity based ink feeding system to supply the ink to the sub tank. I illustrate my check and test in the attached email. For the K cartridge, the ink flows to the ink tube before the valve. But for other colors, C,M,Y, they are not flowing although ink cartridges have same full level of inks. Now, I tried testing by inserting the K cartrdige to C, M, Y, ink slot, the result is ink flows to the ink tubes. Now I suspect that the cartridge of C, M, Y are faulty or broken. May I know how it was broken or damaged. I physically inspect it nothing is broken on all sides, the pinhole where the ink needle is inserted looks to be good compared with the K (black) cartridge. How does the ink fromC, M, Y, cartridges does not flow in the ink tubes. How it was damage and can I repair it. It is only a plastic casing with pinhole where needle is injected once it is inserted in its slot. See my illustration of the issue below. Help please. Thanks.

 

[Umca]

Most cases the source of problem like this - rubber cork what installed into pinhole for needle. Air leaking in this place - and channel from bottom of refilling cartridge to needle filling with air. No gravity works anymore for supply the ink to subtank.
So, you have to inspect pinhole and rubber cork, replace the cork if needed. And firstly remove the air from ink channel in the cartridge manually by syringe before you will install it in the printer.

 

[heyskull]

It is very rare for these to fail on by what looks like a bulk ink system, as you do not need to pull the carts in and out,

Also it could be the subtanks valves themselves.
They have a tendency to stick.

But I would more suspect a faulty maintenance station.
As I feel you may have jumped the gun a bit.

Does the machine have an error of "subtank low"?
If no error is showing the valves and carts are OK.

SC

 

[artfull]

hello umca, nice support. will try your input. and give you feedback on the outcome. so if there is an air leak, no ink will flow from cartridge to the ink tube before the valve. what is the use of the small hole at the back of the cartridge as shown in the picture below. is it for air. how can i replace the rubber cork in the cartridge, is there a replacement part for it? can i swap the rubber cork from my K (black) cartridge to the C,M.Y cartridge just to test if it works. Note that the K cartridge is working, the ink flows when I insert it to all ink slots. thanks

heyskulls, the test/check is for the cartridge to ink flowing to the ink tubes before the valve. We know that it is working via gravity. Please read my original post to understand the issue well. thanks.

 

[Umca]

Small hole on back side of cartridge - for supply air into the cartridge for impossible to create a vacuum inside. Always should be clean and open.
Yes, you can swap cork.