T520-printhead keeps getting sketchy streaky after a few to several hours sitting idle

[pbrooks259]

On a T520 with a new printhead and new ink, the printhead keeps getting sketchy streaky after a few hours or sitting overnight on the service station (pic attached of diagnostic print). The attached pic shows it just after overnight, after several hours.  It only has about a 320 page count; I think this is accurate.

 It clears up after printing some or doing a printhead cleaning.  So it seems to be drying out or getting covered with some ink.  It just seems to be a partially dried out printhead nozzle after sitting idle for a few hours on the service station.  Seems it would take longer than a few hours, like several days or a few weeks.  I have assumed that the printhead nozzles are not being adequately capped off by the service station and therefore it is drying out.  Black seems the least affected. This is the 2nd one in a row that has had this problem—just a new printhead printing sketchily after a few to several hours of sitting idle or idle overnight.

Seems something would have to be going on as the printhead sits over the service station overnight.  As best I know these do not have the intermittent print system maintenance routine, kinda wish they did because of this.

[pbrooks259 · Accepted solution]

Update (maybe premature): I cleaned up the encoder strip especially above the service station, and I lubed the carriage slider rod a bit more above the service station. The carriage seems to be homing in better on the service station. (I think the printhead was a bit half-cocked on the service station capping station and therefore the printhead nozzles were drying out over night.)    I swear I have NOT encountered this on any other model! If I did, I THINK it at least threw up an 86:01 SE code...had a T770 that had some ink on the encoder strip over in the vicinity of the SS but it threw up 86:01 as I recall.

This morning after sitting powered on all night I printed the diagnostic image and all colors were printed appropriately. I was relieved! Whew! Hope it keeps it up!