[Chito]

I've got an Epson 740 with a clogged black print head. I've run the cleaning routine a dozen or so times with no success. Seems i read a trick somewhere once that may help clean the nozzle but I can't find that article anywhere. Can anyone offer any suggestions? Thanks

[Mediaman_12]

My Epson did this, I took the printer apart (the waranty had ran out) and phisicaly cleaned the print head with spirit wipe & a lint free cloth, put it back together. It was good for about 3 weeks before it was blocked again.
I then Took the POS Epson to the dump and bought a HP (you replace the print head when you change the Ink cart on an HP, It makes the carts more expensive, but it's more reliable IMHO)

[Chito]

well I've got no warranty either so maybe I'll give it a shot. I had an HP before I got this epson and it was always rock solid....due to circumstances beyond my control I had to leave it behind
I was just hoping that someone might know something easier....all of the money I've spent on a new cdrw, hard drive, and video card has left me a little short on cash for a new printer. Oh well...nothing to lose now!
Thanks for the reply

[Martian]

A nearly empty tank will not feed much ink and will make the heads seem like they are clogged.

If you don’t get proper results from a new tank, consider this.

UNDER THE HEADING OF "YOU’VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE", meaning that
– A real technician hasn’t told you a better way
– You would rather buy a new HP than pay to fix your old Epson (this will be my attitude when my Epson fails since the Epson permanent head design is dumb)

Open your old tank and add some methyl alcohol (methyl hydrate). Run a few cleaning cycles and printing cycles. Let it sit for a while (while you study printer ads) and then run a few more cycles. Then remove the tank and see if you can clear the lines with air — either canned air or even just blowing through a soda straw placed in the ink intake port.

Be sure to mop up any alcohol that may have spilled or has saturated the foam pad that the heads park on.

Then replace the new tank and run a few cycles. Hopefully this automotive shadetree mechanic approach will work.