> <Juliehaug@aol.com> wrote: > Epson 1270 using only OEM carts and paper --- suddenly black ink began to leak > in streaks on prints. Ran the cleaning utility, changed the cart, wasted good > paper, cleaned and changed cart again. Nothing helps. Any ideas would be so > welcome. Or, if someone knows that this is the end of this printer, I need to > know that, too. Thanks in advance for any and every bit of help. I think I know what you are talking about. In my case, the streaks were in the axis of head movement and larger than a dot, but very fine. It looks like a nozzle leaking; like a fine dribble. I also would get drops of ink on the paper edge. Having taken a few Epsons apart and looked at the heads, the cleaning station, and the printer innards in action, I've seen that the head surface is perfectly flat with the nozzle orifices drilled into the head surface. Ink accumulates as drops on the flat head during a cleaning cycle, partly because the cleaning operation involves a bit of suction at the waste receiver as well as firing from the nozzles. There is a wiper that squeegees the head to clear the drops. I can imagine that as the head wears the nozzle orifices enlarge to a point where surface tension no longer keeps the ink in the head and ink dribbles. Or maybe cruft develops in/around the nozzle that causes ink to wick to the head surface. A drop of ink forms on the head surface, ultimately growing large enough to catch the paper as a blob. I resolved the problem with a head replacement. For a 3000, heads ran about $75.00 & $100.00 (black & color) and a couple of hours of labor are required to replace them. A special service utility is required to align the heads, something to consider if your tempted to attempt repair yourself. I'd consider having the 1270 fixed if it works fine for you otherwise. I'll guess it will cost $150 to $200 for a black head replacement. Wire - Turn off HTML mail features. Keep quoted material short. Use accurate subject lines. http://www.leben.com/lists for list instructions.