Pixma MX850 won't print black ink from either black cartridge. Help!

[QuinnTwemlow]

The MX850 has served us well but now won't print black.  I've put it through the print tests; all color looks beautiful but the black test area is blank.  I've replaced both cartridges (at some expense) even though I was only getting low ink messages on the larger one.  What do I try next?  (I'm not especially techy.)

Alternatively, is there a way to set the printer to bypass the black ink and use only color?  I'm willing to do that if only to get some printing done asap.

Thanks, y'all!

Quinn

[CanonUser256]

I was an MX850 user also, until recently.

My MX850 also stopped all text printing from the text cartridge using plain paper.

Selecting 'high resolution paper' in the printer paper selection allowed quality text printing from the photo black cartridge.

All photo printing on any paper 'OTHER THAN PLAIN PAPER' would print from the photo cartridges and not use the large black plain text cartridge. Could not print a word document with text and photos inserted and receive any print because of the 'plain aper' and large black ink cartridge issue.

Never received an error code of any type during this malfunction.

Solution was to continue to print all text on higher quality paper and all photos on higher quality paper until I started receiving an error code of B200 at power up of printer at which time the printhead/cartridge carriage would not move to center when opening printer top access cover.

Basicall I have a 'brick' in the MX850 now.

The MX850 was really a good multifunction printer while it lasted, about 6 years. Guess I can't complain that no one wants to repair the MX850 because it would exceed the original cost in repairs, with time and parts for the repair.

I can only think it was old age that finally got to the printer.

I don't have enough data on my new MX922 yet to see how it stacks up against the MX850. I only hope it is as good during its life.

I do think ink cartridges are way too expensive for the quantity and life expectance of those ink cartridges and printheads and purge unit. The purge unit was the main concensus for failure to print black text.

I even went to the expence of purchasing a repair service manual for the MX850 and then determined that printer disassembly was way to complex for an economical cost repair.

[oldeddie75]

Pixma MX850 won't print black ink from either black cartridge.  Help!  iT JUST HAPPENED THIS MORNING WHEN i TURNED MY PRINTER ON.  I've changed both black ink cartridges twice, and still no black print.  Only the colors will work.

Can I fix this printer or not?

[CanonUser256]

Hello oldeddie75,

Unfortunately the MX850 could be fixed/repaired "but at a great expense".

I just chose to go with replacing it.

After calling many repair shops, and the manufacturer, it was indicated that the control/logic chip/board was at fault and a repair would be quite expensive, >$50 parts and >$75 labor unless I spent many hours at complex disassembly (which is not real easy).

I had already replaced the print head(s)/cartridge-container for clogged heads, that would not get unclogged no matter what proceedure I used for cleaning, and that cost over $75 in 2015; then the other problems hit with no Black ink printing. I could print text documents as long as I selected colors but no Black at all.

Yes, the MX850 "WAS" a good printer for photos (using photoshop) on quality Canon paper but it was getting expensive to keep repaired so I just cut costs and went with a cheaper MX922; it also is a 'decent' all-in-one-printer but a little slower, just cheaper if I need to replace it down the road.

I do like Canon printers but they are getting finiky at repairs and expensive to get repaired.

By the way I had 2each MX850's until I decided to stop; both with similar problems and similar expenses to repair myself or to get repaired at a shop.

I did find Print Heads and Logic Boards on the Web.

Good luck at which ever avenue you take.

[Crista]

Hi oldeddie75! 

Thanks for posting in the Canon Forums!

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[dcassidy]

Hi,
I had a similar problem this morning in that NO Black cartridge was being used for printing.

Here is my sequence of events so you can draw your own conclusions.
1. I had a 7 page Black and White Document to print.
2. I decided that owing to recent similar problems, I would start with Page 1 ONLY - Perfect print.
3. Grand I thought, Pages 2-7...blank pages. So I carried out the Maintenance on the PRINTER ITSELF  (Via instructions on https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART101433)
4. Nothing. I changed cartridge 8 (Slim Black but cheap 3rd party) still nothing...I remembered I had a proper Canon cartridge so loaded that up.
5. Tried it again and nothing.
6. Now, I remembered that I had previously corrected the problem by carrying out the CLEANING via the software menu (Windows 10) Print -> Properties-> Maintenance-> Cleaning AND SPECIFYING JUST the Black guns.
7. Print Test page ...PERFECT.
8. Print Pages 2-7 of required document - PERFECT print output.

An example of not giving up hope until all avenues explored...so there MUST be something else done via the Software Maintenance menu ?? Hope this may have helped somebody with similar problems..as the MX850 is a GREAT printer. BTW my MX850 is now about 7 years old.

Cheers,

Dezzz.

[pdf_expert]

If you are looking for a way to bypass the lack of black ink, then convert your document to color using an external tool. This website works for PDFs and other docs:

https://supertool.org/automatically-add-color-to-pdfs-to-print-without-black-ink/