Lexmark Syndrome 1

[pinnochio]

Hello. Four lexmarks, 11,23,33, and 605 have all gone
to the boneyard in the 'same way'. Cartridges are full
enough or refilled yet each one 'suddenly cannot print'.
Bizzare. One lasted 4 months, one 5 months, one 6 months,
(very light use ) and the last one, the 605, the best
printer I've ever had, just a few nights ago lost the
ability to print. I can clean with q tip and compressed
air my cheap canon i250 and my ultra cheap, ebay -4 years
now epson cx480 and get them to print just fine when they
try to impersonate a lexmark. My question is what is it with
the lexmark that is causing this and what if anything can
be done to fix? Where are the print heads? I read about
print heads being clogged but all I see are contacts.

Depressed,
-P

 

[mainegeek]

pinnochio,
What are you re-filling them with?

 

[micker377]

Lexmark is known for the I.C. chip integrated into the ink cartridge. They just had a federal lawsuit about whether it is legal for others to manufacture the chips to make new (re-manufactured) cartridges function. Either way, when the "chip" says the cartridge is empty - it is empty, no matter how much ink is present!

 

[garebo]

Micker377, I read about that. They did it so it wouldnt work right if you refilled the cartridges and that is exactly what pinnochio is doing.
I bet all your printers will work if you buy new cartridges for them.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[sunil5]

I've had problems with 3 Lexmark printers- z53 and two X73s.

I have only ever used Lexmark original cartridges. All 3 printers caused horizontal line streaking- nothing to do with cleaning.

The Z53 I had to just bin. I then purchase the X73 (all in one)- worked fine for a few months and the same thing happened. It was still under warranty so sent it back and received a brand new one (with new cartridges).

Same problem of line streaking again! Does everything else fine apart from the lines.

Will have to consider other makes from now on. (I do have a HP Laser B/W- which is virtually bullet proof!)

 

[felixc]

Bought a Brother HL1435 laser for $130 cdn, including a 3000-page toner cartridge. It works great!

 

[garebo]

Where at Felix?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

I asked a technician at Staples about that and he told me the way to defeat that is to make sure you always keep it topped off with ink. Once the software points out its empty then apparently it wont work anymore.
Thats what i was told anyway.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[CULTOFLON]

Sunil5 when you say horizontal line streaking is it a black streak or white lines? If it is thin black lines what you need to do is remove the ink cartridges and clean under the carriage. More than likely paper dust and ink have accumilated under the carriage and is wipeing thru the wet ink causing lines. Later

 

[sunil5]

Cultoflon,

It's not black lines- just 'faded' white horizontal lines all the way down the page.

I actually stripped the printer to clean everything- wasn't really dirty anyway. This made no difference.

It's not even cost-effective to get a professional to diagnose the problem. But a shame to throw away an otherwise fully functional all-in-one unit.

 

[micker377]

What mode are you printing in? My Brother has faint lines, unless I print in "Best" mode.

 

[sunil5]

I've tried in all modes- of course the lines are less apparent in best mode but they are still there. It still shouldn't cause lines in what ever mode- just more 'specky' in say draft mode.

The common cause of this problem seems to be clogged print heads on the cartridge- but I still get the lines straight after using a brand new manufacturer's one.

 

[micker377]

Well, the printer's software tells the printer cartridge when to "fire". If cleaning/new cartridge don't help, I'd start worrying about the printer's own hardware and software.