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Cleaning the Timing Strip on Your Canon Printer 

 
The timing strip is a clear, plastic strip approximately ¼” in height positioned horizontally across the 
center of the unit, just in front of the carriage drive belt.  The timing strip contains many thin black 
vertical lines that help determine the carriage position during operation. 
 
During certain uncommon tasks such as the removal of a paper jam, it is possible to inadvertently touch 
a lubricated area on the printer’s chassis causing a small amount of grease to be deposited onto the 
timing strip. 
 
Grease on the timing strip may result in poor print quality including; mis-aligned or distorted characters, 
vertical lines or, in some cases, an inoperable error condition or knocking / grinding noise. 
 
In most cases, it is easy to remove the grease from the timing strip using common household items.  If 
you wish, you may follow the steps below to remove the grease from the timing strip. 

 

 
 

Items needed: 

 

Clean, unused cotton swab 

 

Small amount of Isopropyl Alcohol or window cleaner 

 

Flashlight or other light source 

 
 
Note: The illustrations will display a PIXMA MX700; however, the parts and cleaning procedure will be 
the same for your model. 
 

1)

 

Power on the printer and open the main access cover (scanning unit cover). 
The Print Head Holder (carriage) will move to ink changing (center) position. 
 

 

 
 

Summary of Contents for PIXMA MX700 Series

Page 1: ...timing strip may result in poor print quality including mis aligned or distorted characters vertical lines or in some cases an inoperable error condition or knocking grinding noise In most cases it is...

Page 2: ...s will allow you to easily slide the carriage left to right 3 Gently slide the carriage to the right side of the printer until it stops Carriage is centered Carriage is to the right 4 Using a flashlig...

Page 3: ...uch the chassis or other areas inside the unit which may contain grease from the factory Note If Isopropyl Alcohol is not available you may use window cleaner solution CAUTION Do not remove the grease...

Page 4: ...ly while the printer initializes 10 Confirm operation of the unit by printing a photo or other print sample such as a Nozzle Check Pattern If print quality is still poor repeat the above steps e g A n...

Page 5: ...s the left or right button to select Maintenance settings then press the OK button The Maintenance settings screen is displayed c Press the left or right button to select Maintenance then press the OK...

Page 6: ...ink tank 1 Check the nozzle check pattern you printed a Check if lines in this pattern are missing A Good B Lines are missing b Check if there are white streaks in this pattern A Good B White streaks...

Page 7: ...on Your Canon Printer b If lines are missing or white streaks are present select Also B and press the OK button The cleaning confirmation screen is displayed c Select Yes and press the OK button to s...

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