Epson Stylus Photo EX Won't print!?!?!

[RepairPC231]

I Have a Epson Stylus Photo EX that won't print, I am running Win98SE, I have the latest drivers, I just replaced the printhead & added brand new black & color ink & still nothing. I have tried 3 diffrent pararell cables. When I go to do a self test, I hold the ink button 3 secs & cartridges go all the way to the left & stays there. IT moves back & forth like it is printing, but nothing is comming out on the paper!

Thanx:x

[smelanson]

Check the pump and the hoses going to the pump, the hoses could be loose or the pump assembly could be broke.

[zybch]

Just think of how lucky you are. If the printer won't print, then you won't have to spend all that money on replacement ink carts.

Seriously though, was it unused for any length of time? Sometimes the little rubber caps which cover the print heads when they aren't in use become cracked/corroded and the nozzles become filled with dry ink. With epson printers its difficult to fix this by yourself as the print head is fixed in the printer and not on the ink cart as the HP and some canon ones are. You might need to get it serviced by an epson repeirer.

[Midknyte]

Sounds like you have clogged printheads. I have seen this a lot on epsons. btw, do you unplug the printer or turn off the surge protector. This resets the printer, so it thinks it has a full cart, when it really doesn't. The printer will think it has ink and try to print, but it is really empty. When that happens, the printheads get dried out.

You can try this: remove the cover. there should be 4 screws, 2 in the back and 2 in the front. if you look under the ink cart carriage near the front, there is a little white tab. slide that tab towards the front using a paperclip. this will allow you to slide the carriage to the left. otherwise, it will be locked on the right. you should see a foam pad with ink on it. fill this area with simple green or a similar cleaner. fill it until it bulges like a bubble. then slide the carriage back over it. leave it to soak for an hour or two. then try printing self tests again.

btw, are you doing windows self tests or printer self tests? if you do a printer self test, you can see which areas are still clogged. hold the paper feed button, then press the power button to do a printer self test.

as you can tell, i've done this a few times. Good luck! :D

[smelanson]

he just replaced the head but I know what you mean, I used to work in a Epson repair center. Did you use non Epson ink in the printer because you should never use non Epson ink so many people have to replace heads, pumps, etc because of it, in fact that is the biggest reason why people take it to an Epson repair center.

[smelanson]

You can also remove the ink cartrages and put them back in then the printer will think it got new cartrages and go through the startup again, somtimes it works.

[Midknyte]

Doh! missed that little detail there. Yeah, generic ink is bad mojo.

I avoided the whole problem and got an HP 970. It even has duplex printing!

Epsons have really good print quality, though. I hope you can fix it! :D

[smelanson]

Yeah I saw to many printers go bad with other brands of ink, usually it is the head, senond it the pump, no pump then the head won't get the ink sucked it it, I forget this printer but in most like the 440 the pump is in th right side under the place where the head parks when not in use. It could even be just a loose hose, you may want to take it to a repair center though pumps are fragile.