Expert: John Palmer - 7/11/2006

Question
True, I know Lexmark isn't the greatest brand, but as a poor college student I've got to take what I can get.  

The color I'm having problems with is Magenta.  It's strage though because when I wipe the nozzles the magenta comes out just as evenly as the yellow and cyan.  And as I've said, when an image starts to print, it does work initially, but quickly fades out.  

Now, I've tried what you said and thoroughly and repeatedly cleaned the nozzles and contact spots, both with cloth and Q-tips, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.  I also conducted a little "experiment" of my own and switched the cartridges just to see what would happen.  The cyan and yellow are printing out just fine, but again, the magenta fades out.  

Does that make it more likely that it's an issue with the cartridge and not the printer itself?
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
Oh wow that was a quick response.  Thank you!

Actually, the first refill was from a local shop on campus while the second was purchased via ebay.  The first one was working fine when I got it.  I stopped using the printer for a while simply because I had nothing to print, but when I started using it again, that's when one of the colors just stopped working.  I figured that because it hadn't been used in a while maybe it dried out or something.  That one lasted at least until half way through the cartridge though.

The second one (the one I bought on ebay) stopped working correctly after one a print or two.

I read online that lexmark cartridges are notoriously hard to refill properly because of sponges or something like that.  Could that be it?

I hate to spend even more money on yet another cartridge that might now work, but I suppose I'll give it a try.  Thanks for the quick response
  
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
I have a lexmark x1150 inkjet that I've had for a few years that was working fine until recently.  For some reason one color from the cartridge isn't working properly--It starts off normally but then fades out in the middle (the other two colors and black seem to be working fine).  I wiped the nozzles and ran all the trouble shooting applications (including the test/cleaning prints), but nothing seems to help.  My last cartridge was having the same problem so I wound up throwing it out when it was half full.  Does that means it's a problem with my printer and not my cartridges?  Or does the fact that both cartridges are refills have anything to do with it?

Answer -
hey Sam -

did you get both cartridges from the same place, and same brand?  might be that you stumbled on a bad batch of cartridges.....

I would suggest trying one more time, but try a real lexmark cartridge, see if it clears up....

Answer -
trust me, I know how things are with having to buy new cartridges...

Lexmark printers themselves aren't exactly at the top of the food chain, but here's a couple of suggestions that might help:

take out the cartridge, and clean off the contacts where it hooks up to the carrige with a q-tip and water, and try it again...

which color isn't printing? cyan, magenta or yellow?

Answer
it very well could be... I've seen printers ( particularly lexmarks ) where some colors just don't print at all.... but I'm not entirely convinced about that... because if it does start to print the color, and then fades out, it just seems like the ink is clogging up in the nozzles again, because when you clean it, it starts to print again.....

I'm still of the opinion of trying a real lexmark cartridge...

one last question - where do you live?  a dorm?  is it air conditioned ( at least where the printer is? )