HP Z3100 leaves ink tracks over print

[Proshootercom]

I've been happy with my Z3100 for 4 1/2, but now I have a problem I can't seem to solve.
When I print I get a pattern of marks that I originally thought were excess ink being dropped off the carriage, but after cleaning everything as best I could it still persists.
These marks spoil the print and a simple printhead clean won't fix it nor a complete cleaning.

I made a simple webpage with lots of photos to show this in detail along with what I've learned and tried.

Please take a look and let me know;
A) Have you ever seen like this happen before? With such a pattern?
B) Do you know the cause? likely cause or even a suspicion?
C) Can you recommend a fix? or at least send me in the right direction for a solution?

http://proshooter.com/HPZ3100.htm

Thanks.

[davidh202]

 from the looks of the marks it does appear to happen as the carriage reverses direction.The
If you have cleaned all the areas you can physically see, then I'd suspect there is a spot of lint or some other residue under the carriage frame itself, not on the heads.
With the heads removed I'd take a moistened not soaking  lint free cloth and slide it under the carriage assembly and work it back and forth gently to kind of polish the underneath side of where the heads seat.

[EvoM]

from the looks of the marks it does appear to happen as the carriage reverses direction.The
If you have cleaned all the areas you can physically see, then I'd suspect there is a spot of lint or some other residue under the carriage frame itself, not on the heads.
With the heads removed I'd take a moistened not soaking  lint free cloth and slide it under the carriage assembly and work it back and forth gently to kind of polish the underneath side of where the heads seat.

If you do this, you may inadvertently put ink over the spectros small mirror which is located on the right side. You also have to be careful to not get ink over the leds on the left side.

I am no expert but just had the belt replaced and had a good look at the heads/carriage assembly. It may be some gunk stuck there underneath so it could be worth a try. Maybe you could go to change the heads and when it's parked, turn off the power. From there you can move it manually back and forth plus see if there's any extra gunk on the right spittoons (there always is lots of ink there!). You don't have to remove the heads but it might help to see.

At the end of rolls, the paper gets quite curled maybe it's showing up the problem somehow. Try some flat sheets and see what happens. Might indicated the problem with some lack of clearance.

It also looks like it's the black ink (probably matte) which is the furthest right and the one, as you know that gets the build up of gunk. With the heads parks, printer off, try and carefully clean the furthest part of the right spittoon. Mine had quite a build up there of old dried ink which need cleaning particularly in the sort of gutters. Shine lots of light in there!!!

good luck!

Evo

[John Nollendorfs]

Evo:
Looking at the OP's website, it looked as if he cleaned both "spitoon" areas, which would have been my suggestion also! I'm kind of in agreement with the other poster, that maybe there is a bit of paper trapped under the print head. I have found that using a lot of art papers also leads to build up of paper dust/ink in certain areas. But I'm assuming the OP is using mainly "photo papers" which should not present with such problems. Maybe the OP had a paper jam that didn't get completely cleaned out?

HP seems to recommend using coffee filters for cleaning electrical contacts, etc. Maybe sliding one of them under the print heads? But be carefull! as the other poster noted.

[EvoM]

Evo:
Looking at the OP's website, it looked as if he cleaned both "spitoon" areas, which would have been my suggestion also! I'm kind of in agreement with the other poster, that maybe there is a bit of paper trapped under the print head.

Yes, saw the photos however, I used to think I was cleaning thoroughly until I had it apart! The very right hand side once the carriage is out of the way is the area I mean. Not the pads themselves but the plastic surround. Can't tell from any photos he posted.

Could be just a stuck bit of paper as suggested!

Evo

[kaelaria]

I agree with the above, you need to simply disassemble the printer, slide the carriage assembly off and clean.  Until you do so there is no way to ever SEE what's there let alone clean it.  It's really not a big deal, you can even watch my video on the belt removal, you would only need to do 80% of it, it will take you about 45 minutes if you have the correct drivers.  Shouldn't be any big deal to fix, for free!

[namartinnz]

If the printer is that old , might as well change the belt too if pulling it that far apart.

[rwheat]

Hi there,

Last time I had a problem like this - extra ink on the paper, it was a faulty print-head.
If a head is dribbling in some fashion, then I could see you getting a pattern as shown.

Try changing out the appropriate print head (photo-black?).

HTH,
Richard.

[kers]

The last time i had this kind of problems - i cleaned the bottom of the carriage.
It seems to me also in this case that could well be the solution.
I did with some thick absorbing paper. There is no easy way to get to it- you can lift the carriage a bit.
Mine has about the same age ( first generation z3100)

succes

Pieter

[Ernst Dinkla]

If you set the head carriage in the middle with the head exchange choice and pull the power plug (then switch off the power switch) you get enough time to clean the lid on the capping station. Ink accumulates there and offsets to the head carriage. It is not easy to get there though. With the right side cover removed you get much more access. Find the Service Manual on the Z3100 Wiki pages. Check the pages on the removal of the right side cover. Remove it and clean the mess you see there, do not replace the screw that gave you the most trouble to open that side. You will find out which one that is. Next time it is much easier to get into that space.



met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst
Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[deanwork]

If you haven't had your spitoon replaced after this amount of time it is time to do that. They replaced mine after 3 years ( but it wasn't completely full at that time yet).

The only time I've ever experienced what you are talking about on my Z is when a print head was bad. I even bought a new one that was defective and it leaked. But they sent me one over night Fed Ex with no charge of course since it was in warranty.

When these heads leak it gets on the print head cover and that ends up on the rollers eventually then it is smeared all over the place and it's hard to  tell where it is coming from.

j

[Rocco Penny]

Read the service manual.
Then after taking off the end of the chassis assembly you can take lots of time and care cleaning the thing.
There is a way to turn off the machine w/o unplugging in the middle of the cycle.
Use the service menu.
Take off the right side cover,
use the carriage disengagement feature,
move the carriage,
clean to your hearts content,
may as well take a peek into the left side too,
I've seen pictures of built up goo that eventually causes failure.
Then clean the print heads and carriage too.
Make up removal sponges, foam not cotton, work great for this.
HP says coffee filters, but I find them easy to rub too hard with and they're not as precise as the foam wedge sponges.  Distilled water in minute quantities for hard to remove ink and build up.
After you're sure everything is as clean as you can get it,
I'd oil the transport bar ala wikipedia pages
Then do a head allignment and paper advance calibration.  I'm not sure if there is an order in which to perform these measures.
If you know about as much as me or less about the mechanics of things,
leave most of those things alone and just try and clean it with the filters and bright light.
Might be pretty hard but it can be done.
I get extremely slow download speeds here so haven't looked at the pics,
are you sure it's not the roller/starwheel marks as discussed to death at intervals here?