Canon Community

Alzanki · ‎06-14-2017

I have a Canon PIXMA MX922 printer and suddenly the PGBK catridge is not printing although the ink level is almost full. I have looked through the forums, but never found a clear solution for this issue. I have tried replacing the catridge with a new one and I did deep cleaning several times, with no avail. When I do the nozzle check pattern, I do not see the PGBK printing nor the grids.

Suggestions?

pbyers · ‎08-26-2020

Here's the real solution. [Removed 3rd party link per forum guidelines]

You need to just flush out the printhead as it's most likely clogged. You can tell this by taking a damp paper towel and trying to press against the underside of the printhead along the ports (the lines in the printhead). You should have about 6 short lines in a group (the color printing ports) and then on longer port (the PGBK port). I could see colors on the towel but nothing, or very, very little from the PGBK port.

When you do this, know that you need to spend some time with it. Make sure the tap water is hot (as hot as you can stand, maybe wear cleaning gloves) and you need to spend a couple minutes on the foam pads and then rotate and spend a couple minutes on the printhead plate and then repeat until you really see ink coming out of the different printhead ports (lines on the plate). Again, the PGBK outport is the longer line. The first time I tried this I didn't go long enough with the water and didn't really turn the print head much to keep working the clog. After seeing that the PGBK port was still not putting out any ink I really went at it and spent maybe 10-15 minutes just flushing with hot water until finally I started seeing small chunks of black ink explode out of the PGBK port and the associated foam input pad. Then I knew I was on to something and kept going untill it ran almost clear.

Afterwards, I used some 70% isopropal alcohol from the medicine cabinet to just clean the ports and contacts after drying, thinking this might prevent salts from the tap water from hurting it. But you're probably fine just shaking the water off and patting it all dry with some paper towels.

Seriously, I can't say enough about how dejected I was until I really tried this and everything instantly started working again. We almost just bought a new printer which would have been a waste given all the ink I still have.

I really hope this helps someone else who finds themselves in a similar position.

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gtaprinter · ‎12-22-2023

It cost me $20 for the cleaning kit, it's easy to use, and cheaper than buying a new printer. I still like my Canon printer, i use its scanner feature regularly (scan documents directly to PC), and when i need to print in color from time to time, it still works even with aftermarket ink. I flushed the print head a couple of times, and it's been great since, over a year ago.

vankjeff · ‎12-22-2023

OK, now you've got me thinking I could do this. Thanks. Do you have any links for me for the kit & the How To videos? I'm an old fart.

vankjeff · ‎12-22-2023

gtaprinter, is the cleaning kit easy to use? Would I need to disassemble anything other than maybe taking out 1 or all of the toner cartridges?

vankjeff · ‎12-22-2023

BUMMER! The idiot I just spoke with at that OC Toner Pros near me, that had told me to get this model Canon, just told me that they can't do any ink jet cleaning. Makes no sense. Then he wanted to know if I checked the toner cartridges, how old it is, how often it's used, blah blah blah. How disgusting. 🙄👎

The thing is only 3 years old at my home and I purposefully print something with all colors and black only on it at least weekly just for this reason. I'm lost now.

vankjeff · ‎12-22-2023

I just ordered a cleaning kit on Amazon that says it's for Canon & other inkjets for $7 & it had these 4 pictures showing how to do it. Wish me luck! 😉

gtaprinter · ‎12-23-2023

You got it! You won't need luck - it's a straightforward job. Just in the picture in step 3, you may have to press the attachment to the nozzle, otherwise the liquid can squirt sideways or the cap can come off under pressure.

Be sure to soak the entire print head in the cleaning solution for 2-4 hours first. Alternatively, you can use rubbing alcohol (70%), or just hot water (white it's hot).

vankjeff · ‎12-28-2023

TOO COOL! I got an ink jet cleaning kit on Amazon for $8.02 and it fixed it first time. 15 minutes soaking & then putting it back together and running the Clean Jets program in the printer at Menu > Maintenance (or something like that). I just had to play with things to figure out how to get some toilet paper under the PGBK spot with the cartridge rack moved to the center with the power cord turned OFF. I think the kit was supposed to come with rags but it didn't, so I just used a few sheets of TP folded in half.

The syringe works great but I probably used more than the 1ml it said to. I had the syringe full to 1ml + the tube below it that I'd sucked it up with. Probably supposed to pour it in since then there wouldn't be extra in the outlet tube, but that seemed awkward so I sucked it in.

There's LOTS more cleaning fluid left in the jug, a lifetime supply. 😉

The kit says it's for several brands and models. E-Z Ink (TM Printer Cleaning Kit for HP / Epson / Canon / Brother Inkjet Printers. It's got 100ml of Cleaner, so I'll never use it all.

Here's the Amazon link:

https://a.co/d/dcHAND1

vankjeff · ‎02-20-2024

BUMMER! I went to use this home printer for the first time in a few weeks and it's the worst I've ever seen. Whole lines of text are totally missing. The Test Print has most of the PGBK thing at the top missing.

Should I even keep trying to fix it? I'm about ready to give up. I've tried so hard.

My thoughts are, do I only need to remove the PGBK cartridge and put inkjet cleaner in the ½" round inlet that it drops ink into or should I have been doing all of them if only the PGBK tests as bad? What I sort of mean is, is there an inkjet under each cartridge or do all the cartridges share 1 inkjet? Sharing would make sense, I think, even though I know nothing about printer technology.

If there's only 1 inkjet, maybe my only taking out the PGBK cartridge with the tray pulled out some random amount means that the PGBK inlet isn't over the inkjet, so it doesn't really get cleaned with the cleaner?

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Canon PIXMA MX922: PGBK not printing