2nd hand Pixma Pro-10 not printing in color and images showing up almost greyscale? Any advice

[BtsMalcolmx]

Hi there!

I've tried to print in color but the photos only come out in BNW + the photos look almost washed out and the blacks aren't black but almost like greyscale or inverted or something. What am I doing wrong? I got a used Pixma Pro-10 very cheap from a friend who was moving. It came with the ink (mostly full) and a bunch of A3+ paper. First time using it and I used a bunch of tutorials and videos to figure out how to print via LR and outside of that. Currently using Windows. I've been having two issues which Im sure fixing one might fix the other? 

I've tried to print in color but the photos only come out in BNW + the photos look almost washed out and the blacks aren't black but almost like greyscale or inverted or something. What am I doing wrong? I know im choosing the correct color profile for it, I've installed all the drivers necessary (i think), and have done all I can think of to get it to both print in color and also to not have the blacks look the way they do. I don't believe its my settings in LR but as this is my first photo printer and i've never successfully printed anything with it, I'm completely ignorant on what the problem is.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? I'm really trying to avoid sending it in to a tech since theres no insurance and its SO bulky. The person who sold it to me barely used it from what he said so there must be something im doing. Or maybe its an ink problem?

[jrhoffman75]

The first thing you need to do is run a nozzle check, and if necessary a nozzle cleaning.

Canon Knowledge Base - Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern (PRO-10)

Unlike a vehicle, lightly used is not a positive attribute for a pigment printer. Ink dries out and can plug the print head nozzles.

[BtsMalcolmx]

Hi there! Thanks for the response. It's been a while but I haven't had a chance to respond sorry. I tried a nozzle check and I was missing colors from the PG,Y,M,R and the PBK is very light/not visible. I can't even tell if I've been sold a lemon but I don't want to spend hundreds on ink if it's actually broken or something, ya know?

Ink cartridges are properly installed. How would I go about checking if it's the ink nozzle that dried out? I'll be honest, I ignorantly did more harm than good since I've gotten it. Had this issue from the start and ran a nozzle check and deep cleaning atleast 2-3 times within. 2hr span. Idk if that can make or break anything or make a difference but it should be mentioned. I still don't know why I can't even print in color still, not sure if that's part of the issue because even when I try to print in color, it still prints in black and white like the prior example. Not sure if a dried nozzle would do that?

What would your suggestion be?

[jrhoffman75]

Did it print OK when you went to pick it up? While it possible you could be "doing something wrong" when setting up printing dialogues in software there is nothing you can do wrong when running a nozzle check. You either have a clogged print head or a failed print head.

There are videos on YouTube on how to clean a print head. At this point you don't have anything to lose by trying one or more of those techniques. 

[BtsMalcolmx]

Just wanted to say I appreciate the help and went ahead and joined the Facebook group for Jay toolman or Javier the guy who's very popular with printers. I went ahead and did it printhead cleaning and surprisingly it sucked a lot of ink out of the printhead that was clogged so you can see a dramatic difference in the nozzle check. 

So as of right now I am only trying to figure out if I should redo the printhead cleaning again with the Windex and everything because it seems like the only one that's plugged up now or not coming out are the yellows and the primary blacks seem to be messed up as well. Also still trying to figure out why my photos are printing in almost a negative form like this not sure if you have any insight about that or if that's a setting I'm clicking