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Having some issues with black ink output on my VJ

Not sure if this is a damper issue? I'm working a Mutoh VJ and my black output has been increasingly getting worse.

Also when I do a nosel check the black is all over the place. the other 3 colors are all perfect. It is just the black I'm having issues with.

Any advise?
 
Here's some images of the issue I'm having and the nossle check. I'm sorry I thought I included it in the original post.


And thank you Jhill they are independent if I'm referring to the same thing you are describing. I will check the manual.
 

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heyskull

New Member
Head soak:- move the head of the capping station, get a couple of pieces of lint free cloth roughly the size of the capping pad.
Soak the cloth in solvent cleaning solution or the solution in the cleaning cartridges and move the head back over it.
The amount of time you leave it can vary, I personally wouldn't leave over night as different colours can bleed together and it takes a while to clean through.
Leave half an hour then remove and clean wiper and cap top. Also I would clean around the edge of the head and make sure the ramps either side of the head are clean as these can spread dry ink onto the head.
Their are varying degrees of recovering blocked nozzles but if they have been left blocked for a while you will have no chance.
Also what model of Valuejet are you running and how long is it since the last head change?

SC
 
Thanks so much for the reply Heyskull. I did a head soak about 30 minutes last night and unfortunately didn't recover any of the black. I'm currently doing a little longer one this AM.

The were only 3 little lines missing or misplaced for the longest time. Now a considerable ammount more.

I'm running a VJ 1204. I have kept the machine very clean over it's 5 year history.. There has been a few head-strikes which I have read can contribute to this issue. This is really the first issue that has ever come up, so I have never replaced the head. It has been a workhorse.

I will see what I come up with this AM and post an update after a hour or so soak of the head.
 
First and foremost. You need to make sure the cleanings are actually happening. You need to make sure the ink is actually getting pulled through the head. Pull out the waste tray. Clean it out. run 2 strong cleanings. wait a minute. pull tray back out and see if there is ink. If not, time for a new maintenance station. If there is ink continue the head soak 3- to 45 minutes at a time and run 2 strong cleanings after you remove the lint free cloth. remember all cleanings are done with the head in the low position. This may take several soakings or might not even work. It is your best option without a technician.
 

guitarguy69

New Member
If you remove the metal tray cover on the right side under the maintenance station you can see two small lines feeding into the large waste line that goes to the waste container, or a F manifold depending on the year of your printer. First make sure the large line to the bottle is clear. Secondly inspect the two small lines from the maintenance station that feed to the larger line. I squeeze between my fingers to feel for any clogs. If any clogs are present remove the small lines from the feed tube, (larger tube that goes to the waste bottle), or the F manifold, depending on which year your printer is, and remove the clogs. I feed solution into the capping area and watch to see the fluids run down both small lines as this does two things, lets you see if fluids are running through with no clogs, and cleans the lines. If clogs are present I remove the end of the small line that feeds down and roll the lines between my fingers and work the pencil lead sized clogs out and re-attach the lines to the waste bottle and re-flush with solution. I also use a seringe with a butt splice on it that attaches to the smaller waste lines to flush the maintenance station out and clean using solution. Be sure and move the head to the side as you don't want to damage it while it's parked at the capping station. You should feel the solution moving freely through the tubes and maintenance station, if not fill the lines and the capping station with solution while connected to the seringe and let stand for ten minutes and suck the fluids out. Get fresh fluid in there and fill the lines and half of the capping station and park the head on tha cap and place in low position. Gently, key word here, gently pull on the seringe you should feel a bit of back pressure, if not either your maintenance staion is out of place or is in need of a replacement. You shouldn't hear a slurping noise like drinking the last of something with a straw, but rather feel a resistance.
After all this run a little charge and watch the last process, the sub tank refill, and it should not run too much more than 12% to accomplish this. You should see ink being pumped through the lines and be able to gently squeeze the small waste tubes while this is hapening and feel a pretty good amount of pressure. Do NOT squeeze hard or block the lines, just merely feel the pulse so to speak. If this procedure runs until 20%-98% their is a problem with the maintenance station. If all this happens and after two or three consecutive nozzle checks you see no improvement, try another few head soaks and rinse and repeat. After all this if the maintenance station checks out good and there is still no change, and the missing nozzles are consistently the same ones that are missing and not moving around to different nozzles, probably time for a new head.
Sorry for the long windedness, let me know if their are any questions. I can send you a video of the procedure.
 
Thank you, I appreciate the recommendation.. I will do exactly as you say and see what I may be able to revive. The waste ink tank was full yesterday and I emptied it. May have been 2-3 months since the last time it was full.

I currently did a head soak approx 45-and hour and 2 strong cleans and the black test print is still looking the same. I will give this one or 2 more shots to see what I can recover.

Since the waste ink tank is filling can I eliminate the thought that the capping station is the issue?
Maybe this is more of an issue with the head, possibly need another head?
 
So where can I get a print head? Looks like I'm going to need one. The test fires are staying consistently off..
 

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guitarguy69

New Member
To me it's worth the extra from a distributor who will stand behind the product. Whichever you do, make sure and get a proper head rank for installation. Good luck in your adventure.
 
Thank you. This is something I would have never known, nor considered. Did a little research and the Epson DX5 head does come with the proper Mutoh head rank.


I have been instructed to Try taking the head out and use a syringe to inject cleaner through it.

I figure it's worth a shot before buying a new head.

I have always used oem inks and keep my machine very clean.
 
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