Canon mp620 - trouble with one nozzle

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hardly a gardening query here, but the Vine's not failed me before, whatever the topic, so here goes...

I've got a Canon mp620 colour inkjet printer - it's one with individual inks. It gets a bit of a caning as a home office machine over the past 3 or 4 years or so, and has not failed me to date.

But now one of the colours doesn't print properly - I've changed the cartridge (it was still full of ink) and I've done a nozzle clean, then a deep clean from the maintenance menu with no success.

I use jet tec compatible cartridges (it would cost me a fortune to use Canon originals) but have had no problems with them.

Obviously it's not worth getting it looked at/repaired at it's age, and I could get a similar one for - I guess - £100, but before I do that, is there anything else I can try in order to get it back in use? For example, can I take the print head off and clean that? And if so, what with?

[alldigging]

I'd run through a cleaning thing a few times to see if that helps.

Colour lasers aren't that expensive and are much more reliable.

[Capsid]

If you can remove the printer head than it's a simple matter of running it under tap water to clean the nozzles.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks, both

I've run the deep clean thing again with no luck, so now to whip the print head of for a wash. In for a penny, in for a pound.....

[Hazel at the Hill]

Well that didn't work

Is there any merit in sploshing a bit of white spirit over the print head (not in situ, obvs)? I though that might dissolve/rinse away any dried ink which might be stubbonly blocking the nozzel.

[Capsid]

The inks should be water soluble, and using anything than water isn't recommended. I've got a Canon S900 inkjet which has deteriorated in print quality and your situation sounds similar. I've always used Canon inks and even tried the Canon photo paper (at great expense) with some improvement. But like you am now considering a new printer.

[Jelliebabe]

Hazel - I work fit Canon - I can find the technical support number for you' always worth a try!

[Glutton4...]

Have you done the 'alignment test' thing? Or is it definitely the nozzle?

No ideas why I asked that, as I know next to nothing about them. Sorry.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I had another go with flushing it through on Friday - this time using very hot water. Although not totally unblocked (as shown up on the 'nozzle check' print pattern), it it a vast improvement.

I can live with this for the time being, as the overall print quality is not bad, although if I have an idle five minutes I might have another crack at it.

Thank you, grapes, for all for your input and help.