I have an Epson 4900 purchased in July 2011.
Never had to clean it. Worked beautifully.
Diligently performed nozzle check at least twice a week.
In all, I can't I printed all that much.
But two weeks ago, I noticed a few lines missing in the Photo Black, on the nozzle check?
I curse the day I fired that pair-cleaning because as soon as it finished, the PK has stayed blocked, solid.
I read a lot on this forum and others, about this printer clogging problems, seeking a solution.
After exhausting all the usual, cleaning fluid, power cleaning and what not, I tried the Windex approach.
Didn't make a dent in the PK clog.
I bought the Service Manual online and tried my way to take the head apart, to clean it.
But after reassembling the unit back, I got a perfect blank nozzle check -- I sure cleaned it thoroughly!
So now, I have to try to figure what is it that is causing the total blank out.
Why aren't any heads printing at all.
The only cleaning solution I had on hand was 95% alcool, which I injected through the intakes on the top of the head.
The surface of the head itself looked pristine.
Perhaps, the 95% alcool solution wasn't a good idea after all?
But, as I was injecting the solution through all 10 intakes, I could it being sprayed in straight, parrallel drops on the other side of the head. This, told me that the head does not need to be changed. At least, from a mechanical point of view.
Perhaps when I reseated the Inking Assembly? But even then.
I plan to reopen the printer, to take the head apart once more, later on tonight, but this time, to inject simple water through the intakes (or distilled water), to see whether the head is now blocked or not, as a consequence of my attempts to clean it.
If it is not blocked then the problem could come from the Inking Assembly itself, I figure? Someone on this forum mentioned that a new one could be had for $180, which would be reasonnable, provided that this would fix the problem.
But, as you can see, I am no Epson technician.
Any suggestion is welcome.
Roger Breton