I have an old user friendly BJ-200 that started leaving blank streaks not long after installing a new cartridge. I know the head cover doesn't seal as tight as it did when new, so I try to remove and cap the cartridge if I'm not going to use it for a while. I forgot to do this, so I thought the head might have partially dried. I soaked the head in various chemicals, including brake fluid, but got no change. Then I replaced the cartridge with one I had used before. It was capped for storage and I got plenty of ink on my finger when I removed the cap. I printed the same document and got an identical result. The blank streaks are in exactly the same positions as before. (I also refilled the 2nd cartridge, waited overnight, and got a slightly darker result, but with all the same blanks.)
This leads me to believe that the problem is with the printer, not the cartridge. I rubbed the printer contact tits with a pencil eraser and wiped them clean with alcohol. I also tried putting a piece of electrical tape over the hook on top of the cartridge so it would be pulled tighter against the contacts.
What is the likely problem? Bad flex cable? Bad cable connection? Cartridge contact misalignment? 2 cartridges that follow an identical drying pattern?
This leads me to believe that the problem is with the printer, not the cartridge. I rubbed the printer contact tits with a pencil eraser and wiped them clean with alcohol. I also tried putting a piece of electrical tape over the hook on top of the cartridge so it would be pulled tighter against the contacts.
What is the likely problem? Bad flex cable? Bad cable connection? Cartridge contact misalignment? 2 cartridges that follow an identical drying pattern?