This is my latest: HELP PLEASE! PIXMA MX922 is not printing black properly!

[vankjeff]

(My latest Reply on 2/20 is important, so if you're new on this one, please read it too)

Can I have expert help with my barely ever used, home Canon Pixma MX922's black printing?

My home printer that I’ve barely ever used except occasionally has suddenly started printing the Black bad. It goes back & forth between printing perfect & then printing too dim every few lines. On the attached email that I just printed after working for hours to fix it, it oddly printed the first line dim, then it still prints every 4th and 5th line dimmer than the 3 lines between them. (see image below but maybe it's gotten a little better than it was? It's been terrible before) I've spent hours trying everything possible. I'm about to give up and buy a new, inexpensive HP or Brother's multi-function but I'm here to see if I might get lucky with some help.
I’ve owned this thing since June of 2016 and it’s always worked fine.
Please don't reply unless you've had what I describe happen or have access to specific knowledge of this issue. I say that since I’m a little frustrated and I’ve tried all the simple, standard stuff.
The Print Nozzle Check Pattern shows mostly good up in the PGBK section at the top except for lines 5-8 that have some slightly weakly printed areas. Those lines are all completely printed but parts are dimly printed. (see image)
Also, same thing down at the bottom in the BK section. Starts out great for 1/3, then dims for 1/2, then is great the last 1/6th of the area. (see image).
I've done several of the built-in inkjet Cleaning and even a few Deep Cleanings and nothing has ever changed.
So, I bought a Printhead Cleaning Solution syringe kit and I've gone thru that several times on both the PGBK and BK inkjets after removing those cartridges (see my 20 steps in image).
First time I let it sit 30 minutes and reassembled things. NO BETTER
Next I did the Cleaner again, leaving it for 24 hours. NO BETTER
Then I once again ran it through the automated Cleaning, NO BETTER, then Deep Cleaning, NO BETTER!
I've included a printed email of my 20 fix it steps so that you can see how the printing varies in quality about every 3rd line. I'm no printer tech but that almost seems like an ink supply problem, not clogged jets. But I know nothing about how these work even though I'm pretty mechanically minded and have interest in technology.
I'm ready to chuck this thing. I've got 10 full, new cartridges that I bought in a 15-pack on Amazon for $19.98 a while back, but I can trash those too and go buy a HP or Brother's multi-function, even a monochrome B&W laser printer that has a big toner tank so it doesn't need the CONSTANT replacement of ink cartridges that these Canons do. 
But, if I can get this Canon going myself pretty easily and soon, I'd do it. This stuff isn't worth taking anywhere to have it repaired. Everything is built to be thrown away and Subscription junk these days, like the color HP printers are with their Ink Subscriptions.
I'm no Subscription guy.
Maybe there's an inexpensive, current model Canon multi-function that uses the same cartridges, so I could use up what I've got?
If you know that, please tell me that too. But first let's fix my Pixma MX922. 🙄😉

#PixmaMX922

[vankjeff]

The PGBK prints bad in Test Prints and in actual text-only printing, lots of entire lines aren't printed at all. The ones that do print look great. I was told to clean the inkjets, so I bought an Inkjet Cleaner Kit on Amazon, but I can't figure out the steps to use the cleaner fluid and syringe that it came with. The instructions with the kit are too generic and I'd love to have a step-by-step for a PIXMA MX922. 

I feel like a dummy. Can I have help, please?

#pixmamx922

[vankjeff]

Why won’t anyone help me? I’m begging for help. Please? 🤔

If there’s a YouTube that shows how to use an inkjet printhead Cleaner Kit’s fluid & syringe on this exact model printer after positioning things & dealing with the cartridge carrier, I’d love a link if that’s all the help I get. 

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

This is what I'm seeing.

The MX922 is 10 yrs old

You've already stated you are not using Canon inks

You've tried, cleaning and flushing the printhead

After 10 years, it safe to say you have received a good return on your investment.  Most PC's, mobile devices, and other peripherals don't make it that long.  Those that do are probably pretty slow by todays standards.

Using 3rd party inks is not recommended.  They can work like you said, until they don't, but most often they are not manufactured with quality and reliability in mind.  Corners are usually cut and the parties producing them are more interested in profit over how well they actually work.  

Printheads have a useable life.  They are subjected to electrical current and heat during the course of their life.  They can and do eventually wear out.  No amount of cleaning can fix this.  

Maybe there is another problem you are unaware of.  You buy a new printhead and it doesn't solve the problem.  You're out this $$$ which might have been better spent on a replacement device.  My last printer made it about 11 years.  I am not proud of that.  I have 2 new Canon laser printers and am kicking myself for not buying them sooner.  Everyone in the house is happier and I haven't had to help anyone, nor have they had to wait for me to come home to print something. 

Realize your time is valuable.  Whether you are retired or working, make every minute count.  If you don't no one else will either. 

Call a Canon Upgrade specialist. Tell them how much you liked your MX922 and what you are looking for in a printer now.  If you print a lot of photos, a megatank might be a good option.  If you print office type documents, then a laser printer would be great.  10 yrs is a good long life for any printer.

Canon Sales / Upgrade
Canon Upgrade Specialists at 1-866-443-8002 

[vankjeff]

Thanks Rick. I’m with you on everything. I’ve got my eyes on 2 different new printers, a mega tank and a laser. I don’t really need to print pictures, so color isn’t really a necessity, just a ‘probably should’. 

One question though, since the Test Print only looks bad on the PGBK section and just a little weird on the BK one at the bottom, but the colors look great, wouldn’t that mean that the only problem is that those 2 cartridges that aren’t feeding their ink to the printhead properly and that the printhead itself is OK?

[jrhoffman75]

It likely means that the portion of the print head that uses those inks is failing. The print head consists of thousands of little nozzles but they are devoted to a particular ink channel. 

[vankjeff]

Thanks JR. That tells me just enough. I’ve seen YouTube videos that show how to change a printhead and I’ve seen printheads for sale. I haven’t watched any of the videos but I am OK mechanically, just no electronics experience. Do you think I should try putting in a new one? Do you know if it takes any tricky disassembly that might be a challenge to a novice or do you think or know that it’s easily accessible? I’m a fixer type guy but if I should just get a new printer/scanner, I’m OK with that too. I just don’t like to give up. What do you think?

[jrhoffman75]

https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART143853

It's generally an easy process. I don’t know the specifics of your printer, but many come with the print head in a separate package and require installing the head as part of the setup process. 

The path would depend on the cost of a new print head. With a new print head you would still have a multi- year old printer mechanism. A new printer comes with a complete set of inks, so there is some offset there. 

[vankjeff]

Thanks. Here's the 2 I've been looking at:
1. Canon MegaTank G3270 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer $149
2. Brother Compact Monochrome Laser Printer, HLL2395DW, Flatbed Copy & Scan, Wireless Printing, NFC with Refresh Subscription Free Trial $189

Those “ink subscriptions” seem totally stupid to me, especially as a home user. 

I’ve had several Brother MFC-7820 (?) that I really liked. Monochrome, multi function with gigantic container of toner. Used them at home and in the real estate business I owned. 

I can’t decide if I really want to bother with or even need color.