Okay I haven't printed in about a week and yesterday when I can in to clean and run the machine I started printing and NO black was coming out. Magenta was barely coming out and Cyan was fine. Since then I have run numerous cleanings and fill caps, I even put capping fluid in the capping place and let sit overnight. Today I still can't get any black out of the printer and the magenta still barely comes out.
I am thinking air leak and am about to perform surgery to get this thing running ASAP.
I had the same happen on my first Seiko 3yrs. ago. We were still using the old style heads at the time. I got mine fixed by putting capping fluid on the caps about every two hours five times than doing a overnight cap fill. We got lucky.....
Ive been doing cap clean alot but it hasn't helped at all. I would think if it was clogged it would help a little at least...
I took off panels and looked for any air in the tubes but they looked pretty good. I tried running a history print which is supposed to be all black and a little came out so I am just going to try what worked for you..
By the way you said an overnight fill cap?? Is there something speciall about that one or did you just run fill cap with some capping fluid in the cupp things and let it sit overnight?
Whether you have jobs for the machine or not, you should print something every day you are open. Samples, pics for grandma, whatever. I sometimes leave the machine on capfill over the weekend just to sure the heads stay soaked. Try fluid in caps over the weekend on capfill and then several strong cleans in a row on Monday. Once you get it running again (good luck) print every day.
I try to run as often as possible but you know, life happens..
So I ordered more caps... 350 dollars OUCH!!
I tried running again and I was started getting engine error 1251 every time I would send a job. So I talked to the guy at seiko and he says thats a sub tank error for the black ink. So I take off the panels and sure enough the sub tank (capri sun bags) for the black had barely anything in it. So I turn off/on a couple times but can't get it filled. So I call the seiko guy back he says I will send a tech.. Ok sounds good I mean a broken printer makes my job pretty hard.
So after that I start troubleshooting myself. The lower pump is working, there is no air in the line, so I take off the tube connected to the sub tank. When I run the pump for that I expected to see ink flying everywhere but no none at all came out. So it must be something before that.
I take the tube that connectes the pump tube (the squishy one) to the other tube (the harder one, which is called "tube 900 assembly" for those of you who care) and disconnect them and low and behold, the black ink has turned to resin in the hose. Seriously it took a razor blade to get it out so now I need a new tube and they sell them only in threes now so I spend another 214.00 for 3- 10 dollar tubes.
I have used only the seiko inks for this machine after many people saying that 3rd party inks will screw up you machine.. Well this is as bad as ink goes when it completely turns to tar and clogs your tubes.
So maybe I will try some 3rd party inks... why not???
Anyway thats what Ive been doing today... fun huh?
Update, the seiko guy broke a $650.00 part... That was very nice of him.
Ok the ink is turning to resin all throughout my system. That was what was making all these problems. I have only use seiko inks for the life of this machine and I have treated it pretty good. Maybe has something to do with the weather up here???
