Install new ink cartages and ran Clean printer head but ink is leaking out below where painter head

[wski]

Install new ink cartages and ran Clean printer head but ink is leaking out below where painter head stops when unit is shut off?

[Bob_Headrick]

The area you are referring to is the Service Station.  This is where ink is "spit" to keep the printhead clear.  In normal operation there will be small amounts of ink used during printing and at the end of a print job. Manual cleaning cycles are not generally needed* but will use more ink.  Cleaning cycles should only be run when needed, not as a normal part of changing a cartridge.  There is an automatic procedure that runs when a cartridge is changed, this is normally all that is needed.

It is normal for there to be ink in the service station area.  

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* On average I would expect a cartridge would need less than one manual cleaning cycle in its entire life.  

[wski]

The new color ink cartages went empty when tried to run print report pages and 3 alignment pages with no color on any of the pages printed, I think there is a major problem with printer head? Time for new printer? Could the printer being shut down for 3 months caused this issue? Thank you

[Bob_Headrick]

If the printer was shut down by turning it off from an outlet switch or pulling the power cord it is possible the cartridges were left uncapped which would result in the printhead drying out.  

Please confirm your printer model.  I originally read your printer model as a Deskjet 2130 series, now I see it listed as an Officejet 6978.  The information I have edited out of this post is incorrect if you have the Officejet 6978 model.

[wski]

The printer is 6978 about 4 years old and it has been shut off the last 3 summers for about 3months each time with no isssue until now. Thank you for replying. 

[Bob_Headrick]

[Sorry for the delay, I was visiting family over Thanksgiving and missed your reply here.] The troubleshooting steps in the document here may help resolve black not printing on your Officejet 6978.  If you clean the printhead (up to three times as described in Step 2) does the test page show any black printing?

If all the standard troubleshooting steps have failed it may help to manually clean the printhead as described in the video in the post here.