How do I clean my Epson 600?

marty · 29th January 2006

I bought my printer about 7 years ago and it's starting to have problems, like weird loud line feed sounds and text printing at the wrong page offsets, off the page, over typing.

This first happened a few weeks ago, went away, and is happening again. I reinstalled the drivers and cleaned the jets but am wondering if the printer itself could just use a good thorough cleaning.

Anyone recommend instructions on how I can clean my printer? Or might Epson have a tech manual available for me to download? Looked on their site, maybe didn't look good enough.

Marty

**Bmoore1129** · 30th January 2006

Give http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/S...egory=Products

**mattman** · 31st January 2006

Try looking through the procedure here:
http://www.inkjetart.com/tips/cleaning/Image01.html
Although it describes a 700 model.

After 7 years the insides will be covered in a layer of fine paper shreds and dried ink, they will be gumming up the moving parts. Cleaner...pure alcohol (although I like Contact Cleaner) and for the dust, compressed air you can buy in a can.

If it has a carridge rail, clean that, but do not lubricate it.

Matt

marty · 1st February 2006

Thanks Matt, I'll give it a try and report back.

Marty

marty · 8th February 2006

I've got a 7 yr old Epson color stylus 600 which has started to misprint, making loud noises sounding like the carriage feed slamming against the sides of the unit.

After posting on windowsbbs.com in the hardware section, someone referred me to http://www.inkjetart.com/tips/cleaning/Image02.html.

Have gotten as far as trying to remove the second metal bar with the black 'rollers' on it and find it won't come out. Maybe because I don't know how to move my ink cartridges away from the right end of the printer.

Am hoping to do a thorough cleaning and get more years out of this printer. Am stuck not knowing how to continue taking things apart though.

Thanks in advance.

Marty

**mattman** · 9th February 2006

Sorry to hear you have gotten stuck. On the next page it says:

Quote:

It's a good Idea to unplug the printer now (If you hadn't already) because with the power off, you can move the head back and forth with your hand so you can clean the entire bar.

It may take a little effort because you are pushing against the gears and the motor.

If you are still stuck, the website has a forum. It sounds like the author of that cleaning method runs the website and is probably the administrator of the forum and so will answer any of your questions there.

Matt