Why Is My Epson WF-3640 Printing Blank After an Extreme Unclog? Troubleshooting 0x97 and 0xEA Errors

Question:
I followed your Extreme Unclog instructions for my Epson WorkForce WF-3640 to fix the 0x97 and 0xEA errors. However, after doing this, my printhead nozzle check doesn’t print anything at all—it's completely blank. What could be causing this issue?

Understanding the Problem After an Extreme Unclog

If your Epson WF-3640 is printing blank nozzle checks even after performing the Extreme Unclog process, there are a few likely causes. This type of issue generally occurs when:

1. The Printhead Isn’t Fully Seated on the Capping Station:
   After unclogging, if the printhead does not reseal properly to the capping station (the component it rests on when idle), ink may not be drawn through the nozzles correctly. This can lead to air gaps or incomplete priming, resulting in blank output during nozzle checks.

2. Air Gaps in the Ink Path:
   Even if the capping station is aligned correctly, there may still be residual air in the ink channels between the cartridges, dampers, and the printhead. This is especially common after cleaning procedures that involve flushing or moving ink manually.

3. 0x97 and 0xEA Errors May Still Be Present:

   • Error 0x97 typically points to a hardware issue, sometimes related to the motherboard or internal electronics. While some users have successfully resolved it through power cycling and cleaning the head and cartridges, it's not always completely curable without replacing components.

   • Error 0xEA is often associated with a carriage jam or sensor misalignment. Ensure the printhead can travel smoothly from side to side and that no obstructions remain in the paper path or around the encoder strip.

How to Test for Printhead Seal Issues

Here’s what we recommend to troubleshoot further:

• With the printhead in its parked position, use a syringe connected to the waste ink port and try pulling about 2ml of ink or air.

  • If you feel no resistance or only draw air, this typically means the printhead isn’t sealed tightly to the capping station.

  • If you feel resistance and hear a slight crinkling sound, especially from the dampers, that’s a sign the ink is starting to move—this is promising. It means you’re close to re-establishing proper ink flow.

• After doing this, run another cleaning cycle followed by a nozzle check. In some cases, repeating this process two to three times helps re-establish full priming.

• Also, inspect the cartridges to ensure none are empty or have air bubbles. Re-seating the cartridges and gently shaking them (if allowed for your cartridge type) can help reintroduce ink into the system.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can arrange for your printer to be dropped off. Our services are structured to repair either the whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thanks again for reaching out and supporting our channel. Every subscriber brings us closer to our 100K goal. We genuinely value your patience and participation in the BCH Technologies community!