DesignJet 1055CM Plus not feeding ink

[AFlatMiner]

I bought a used Designjet 1055cm plus that had been sitting for an unknown amount of time, possibly a few years.  It did not have any head cleaners, so I installed new head cleaners.  When I tried printing it wasn't dispensing any ink.  I read that this problem could be caused by air in the lines.  I confirmed the presence of air and then I pulled ink up to the end of the tube with a syringe.  It still didn't dispense ink, so I bought a new black print head.  (The only color I'm interested in)  I pulled the ink up again with the syringe and installed the black print head. 

When I tested the printer, at first it printed intermittently, like it was doing only every other line.  Then it did one print that looked good, then it started doing every other line again, and then it stopped printing completely on the last test. 

I suspect that this problem is due to the machine not pushing the ink down the tube.  What process does the  printer use to supply ink to the print head?  Is it compressed air?  Does this system tend to fail?  Can it be tested?

I also read somewhere that new print heads are primed with ink, but if you run the ink out out you'll have to get a new print head.  Is this true? 

[Valsimot]

Yes, new printhead is primed with an ink, and you can get new printhead bad if you don't have ink feed.

If you remove the cover on the back side where ink cartridges are you will see a ink tubes thinner filled with an ink and clear air tubes. 
You need make sure that the black ink tube is air free the whole length from ink cartridge to the printhead.

I't possible to remove ink cartridge holder easily just with 2 levers and pull it out, you can do that and insert black ink back and put it in higher position than a printhead.

The ink from from cartridge the is in higher position ( gravity will feed ink ) needs to have free flow to the printhead. And if you insert syringe without the syringe piston you pull the ink must flow freely without pulling it to the syringe.

And the syringe is not recommended, it's better to use old printhead and remove the pin from it, the syringe has hole in the middle and i't sharp, the printhead pin has holes on the sides and it's not sharp at all.

[AFlatMiner]

Thank you for the advice.  I bought a syringe for this application, with a blunt point and a hole in the side.

I didn't mention it earlier, but I installed a new belt.  While doing that job I saw the ink tubes, and they had ink in them.  The ink seems to have fallen from the print head back into the cartridges, so the air was on one end, which is why I purchased the syringe.  I will elevate the black cartridge  to see if the ink flows.  

If the ink flows with the cartridge elevated, does that mean the printer is not pumping ink?  Does the printer use compressed air to pump ink?  Should I test it?

[Valsimot]

If the ink flows when ink cartridge is elevated that is a good sign that the ink has free flow ( it's not blocked by dried ink or similar) 

The printer uses air for ink flow ( can't remember is it compressed air or vacuum ) but it is normal when printer is not used for a longer period for a ink flow from print heads to ink cartridges because the print heads are a little higher and gravity does it job.

[AFlatMiner]

I took the ink cartridge assembly out of the machine, but it was impossible to operate the printer with the cartridge elevated because there's no way to hold it in place, and the printer tells me to install the cartridges before it will move on to the next step. 

It appears that I am not getting any air from the compressed air tube.  Is there a good way to test the compressor?

[Valsimot]

The printer must be turned OFF, ink cartridges installed and placed on the printer elevated. Printheads removed and you use a syringe to pull the air.

[AFlatMiner]

Right.  I think the conversation is going backwards now. 

I have already drawn ink from the cartridge with a syringe and installed a new print head.  The printer worked for a little while, but then it started becoming intermittent, then it didn't print at all because it used the ink in the new print head and there is no ink coming from the cartridge. 

If the only reason for elevating the cartridge is to determine whether or not there is an obstruction in the line, then that is a moot point.  The syringe proved that there was no obstruction in the tube when I pulled ink from the cartridge.   In fact, the tube is still full from the cartridge to the print head, and now the new print head is empty.

Now I need to know why no ink is flowing in the tube.  Is air pressure failure common in these printers?  When I start the printer should I hear an air compressor?  I disconnected the air supply from the ink cartridge air manifold and started the printer.  I did not observe any air coming out of the tube.  Is there supposed to be an error code for compressor failure?  I am not getting any error codes.   Is there any other reason why ink would not flow?