Why do Photosmart 6510 printers usually fail to print black (even after trying all ideas)?Help!

[Kyle_W]

I just sent you a private message with the steps. Try those and let me know if they work for you. 

Best of luck,

Kyle

[kmwelsh4]

Hi Kyle...Can you send me the steps as well?

I have tried everything I've read on these forums, and no luck.  My situation is pretty much the same as everyone else's...won't print black ink, and when it prints any black at all, it's gray and you cannot read it. 

[Kyle_W]

I just sent them your way!

Best of luck,

Kyle

[IainGrainger]

Hi  Kyle,

Thanks for the info. I tried both of those and still not working. Anything else I can try?

Regards

Iain

[Kyle_W]

If those steps didn't work, then unfortunately it is probably a more serious hardware issue. If the printer is in warranty I would call HP at 1-800-474-6836 to have it replaced. 

[kjuliff]

I have tried and tried and am on my third black inc cartridge. I read on another thread that it helps to run the clean head program form yje print utility. Fine, but where do I find the itility???

Also everytime I run print head clean from the printer itself it prints a page showing all the colors thus using up more of my colo cartridges!!!

[megan28496]

Poor design is the answer to the question, but that won't get your printer working.   The only way forward is to clean the printhead.  Unfortunately, HP designed the printhead so that you can't remove it easily - except you can do so fairly easily in about 5 minutes.    Seeing as the only alternative is to throw the printer away, then you really have nothing to lose.  There is a clip on Youtube showing how to do this but you remove the upper assemply that is held on with 8 torque screws (you need a special torque screwdriver).    The screw nearest the lid stay is impossible to get at until you flip the lid stay from it's pin with a flat-head screwdriver and the lid can then hinge upright.   The lid then comes off, although it is electrically connected by a large ribbon cable to the PCB and a smaller ribbon cable to the on/off switch  .   Don't worry if the cable comes out  of the PCB - simply push it back in again.     You can then see the printhead.    Pull out the four ribbon cables from the back of the printhead.    There is an obvious order, so it is impossible to put them back incorrectly.   Then remove the two large springs at the back of the printhead.   The printhead can then be lifted out. 

There is a lot of advice on the web about how to clean printheads.   The best way I have found with 100% success is to use a small ultrasonic cleaning bath with distilled water.    

[massm22]

I'm having the same exact issue and I replaced the cartridge and I will get maybe 10-15 pages out of it before I get a repeat of the issue.  I am thinking there is a manufactural defect with the printer. If I can't figure it out when I return this cartridge at Staples tomorrow, I am buying a different printer from a different manufacturer. It's not worth my time and effort.

[preacheral]

I too have tried all the steps listed and have gone as far as replacing the print head, but still no black ink.  I suspect that there was a bad batch of black ink out there that clogs the print heads because the particles are too big.  But has fare as I know HP had not made any admissions to this.

[matterest]

The fix could not be more simple.

Run a damp paper towel over the strainer (in the printer) that meets up with the cartridge's ink-hole. Yes, I just wrote the word "ink-hole".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OjJDeRuJ10