I've just run into this problem with lines being offset on my Z5400 that I'm trying to repair.
I recently oiled the rear carriage rod and thought maybe I got some oil on the encoder strip. Cleaned the strip with just plain water, a dampened paper towel gently. No helpful results. This only happens on the vertical line. Horizontal lines are perfect. Also only happens on text and lines. Did an internal print of a photo and it came out fine.
This started when I had trouble with replacing one of the printheads. After replacing, the only prints I've done are the image diagnostic prints. This only print out blocks of color, no lines or text, and the test came out okay. Today I printed out an error log print and the border lines are broken and offset from each other. In the past, these tests have printed out fine, although the black was light due to a bad matte black/cyan printhead. Replaced yesterday.
I did have some trouble getting the printhead to work. Kept needing to be reseated. Not sure if I messed up something in the carriage on the ribbon cables or something. I cleaned the circuitry board that engages the back of the printhead with an HP cleaning kit. I reseated all three printheads and then did a printhead alignment, which didn't complete due to some banding on the magenta side of the yellow/magenta printhead. But that's been happening for a few days before this problem started so nothing abnormal about that. Up to this point it had been printing lines out just fine, though very light. (Need to buy a new magenta/yellow printhead. Printer has been sitting unplugged and unused for quite a while so expected some bad printheads.)
My question is; what else could I have done that might have created this sudden broken line/offset problem? Could I have damaged something else inside the printhead slot that would cause this problem? I did not try cleaning the encoder strip since I've gotten the printer. Only after this problem started today. Should I try using isopropyl alcohol on the strip for cleaning? Don't want to rub off the marks.
The belt looks brand new, no missing teeth, no tears or stretching evident. I've done several printhead alignments and also went into the service menu. Have not run a carriage test yet. Not sure it will test for this sort of problem.
Any advice/input would be most appreciated. I can post up a pic if that would help.
I recently oiled the rear carriage rod and thought maybe I got some oil on the encoder strip. Cleaned the strip with just plain water, a dampened paper towel gently. No helpful results. This only happens on the vertical line. Horizontal lines are perfect. Also only happens on text and lines. Did an internal print of a photo and it came out fine.
This started when I had trouble with replacing one of the printheads. After replacing, the only prints I've done are the image diagnostic prints. This only print out blocks of color, no lines or text, and the test came out okay. Today I printed out an error log print and the border lines are broken and offset from each other. In the past, these tests have printed out fine, although the black was light due to a bad matte black/cyan printhead. Replaced yesterday.
I did have some trouble getting the printhead to work. Kept needing to be reseated. Not sure if I messed up something in the carriage on the ribbon cables or something. I cleaned the circuitry board that engages the back of the printhead with an HP cleaning kit. I reseated all three printheads and then did a printhead alignment, which didn't complete due to some banding on the magenta side of the yellow/magenta printhead. But that's been happening for a few days before this problem started so nothing abnormal about that. Up to this point it had been printing lines out just fine, though very light. (Need to buy a new magenta/yellow printhead. Printer has been sitting unplugged and unused for quite a while so expected some bad printheads.)
My question is; what else could I have done that might have created this sudden broken line/offset problem? Could I have damaged something else inside the printhead slot that would cause this problem? I did not try cleaning the encoder strip since I've gotten the printer. Only after this problem started today. Should I try using isopropyl alcohol on the strip for cleaning? Don't want to rub off the marks.
The belt looks brand new, no missing teeth, no tears or stretching evident. I've done several printhead alignments and also went into the service menu. Have not run a carriage test yet. Not sure it will test for this sort of problem.
Any advice/input would be most appreciated. I can post up a pic if that would help.
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