xc540 frustrating!

[blackdog01]

I purchased a used XC540 a couple weeks ago. I inspected the machine and saw some test prints and had a roland tech service and drain it before crating and shipping across country. He changed the capping stations, wipers and filters. over $600. The black head had some issues and still does. But the other colors were fine. I received the machine, uncrated it and loaded new roland inks. Its been over a week and I've not been able to get the magenta or cyan to fire all the way. I've talked to the roland tech and tried his recomendations. I've tried soaking the heads with cleaning fluid, manually pulling ink through the heads with a syringe at the pump station- which seemed to clear up the problem a little. I've run several cleanings and still have no luck getting a decent test print. I've burned through new cartridges just doing cleanings and its killing me. My last thought was maybe the dampers need to be changed, as it seems that one side of the head is more problematic than the other. Its bank A that is not firing all the way. I've called a local roland tech and havent gotten a call back yet and am starting to get frustrated as I spent a lot on this machine. A service call will be at least another 500. Does anyone know of anything i missed? I have the whole machine open and have inspected almost everything. I've run through service mode and tests and cant see anything going on. Below are 3 test prints in order. the last one being from today. any thoughts are appreciated

 

[kirkbauguess]

That is a head problem. Do you know how to change out heads. I would change c & m with Lc & Lm. Not a perfect fix, however it will save ya $2500 on heads and a service call. Also, the ink does not look like it's loaded into the correct slots.

 

[high plains digital]

Easier: take alligator clips and pinch cap tubes, fill caps with cleaning solution, cap printheads so that they are soaking in the puddles of flush in the captops, power machine off at the rear to prevent auto cleans while cap tubes are pinched, let soak over night, next day remove alligator clips and power clean.

Harder: (Do this while heads are capped or over a rag in the maintenance bay to soak spilled flush) Pulls\ dampers off printheads, attach a syringe with tubing to each manifold (one filled with cleaning solution and one to plug the opposite manifold) force flush through the head, then swap the syringes and flush the other side of the head, then replace dampers if you have extras and syringe ink into the new dampers, if no new dampers just put them back on the heads and do a power clean.

hope that helps

 

[blackdog01]

Thanks for the ideas. I think swapping the heads is a last resort as I want to be able to print on all heads if possible. I appreciate the input.

I will definetly try this method for flushing the heads again. I did a similar method soaking them with the cleaning swabs and solution a few times. I'll try your method and see how that works out.

thanks

 

[blackdog01]

Update on progress: the head flush worked great on the magenta. I tried twice on the cyan and no luck. I've got new dampers ordered and am going to try another flush and change those after. Thanks for the help high plains digital.

 

[stillhasdust]

Pull ink through the cap top using a syringe. Do you feel pressure?

 

[Victor]

looks like heads need some serious flushing. I am puzzled on your print out (pics)
SC540 Pro II Ex?
mine does print test as K,C,M,Y,LC,LM?