VP540i Black test print lines a mess!!

[HecticCreations]

Help!... I am afraid the answer will be a new head... but has anyone else fixed a test print like this with a cleaning procedure or setting change or something I haven't tried... short of a head replacement???

 

[damonCA21]

You can try cleaning it doing a manual clean and a couple of powerful cleans, it may improve. There is a lot of nozzle deflection there though so it could be time to replace if cleaning doesnt help.
Do the cleans first, then if no improvement try an overnight head soak

 

[HecticCreations]

You can try cleaning it doing a manual clean and a couple of powerful cleans, it may improve. There is a lot of nozzle deflection there though so it could be time to replace if cleaning doesnt help.
Do the cleans first, then if no improvement try an overnight head soak

Done the cleans... How do I do an overnight head soak?

 

[damonCA21]

Do a search on here, there are lots of threads about how to do them

 

[Tom-MGsPs]

Looks like it's time to replace the nozzle. Don't keep printing or you'll mess up the ink lines and have to replace that. It'll be a mess! Save yourself the trouble.

 

[cornholio]

Don't waste your time. Replace the head

 

[JKstorm]

Don't waste your time. Replace the head

I have to agree. I have a VP 300 and have seen this pattern a few times and you are likely going need to replace that head. A head soak may help but probably not enough, but it's worth a try. Your prints will slowly get worse as time goes by. I have gone through three black heads and have just installed the forth. This is over a period of 16 years. The good news is that when all four heads test without the dropout the VP's still make beautiful prints!