I320 printing issues

You may find more success with water than alcohol - most inks are water based these days. However, you may find that ink has dried in the head, which you won't resolve. I can't remember if these have changeable heads or not.
Final option is to try printing a whole full page of cyan colour. It might eventually get through the dried ink and soften and start printing.

I think the printer is defective and based on cost of repair versus replace make a decision.

You may have put the wrong color cartridge in the wrong print cartridge position.

Are your black ink cartridges genuine Canon ones?
Are the contacts clean when you remove the cartridge?
If not blow off with compressed air and a clean brush, if necessary.

Canon.com's site covers the verification that the cartridges are installed correctly below:


Issue: Black ink does not print
Solution: Confirm that the recommended ink tanks are installed properly MP800R / MP830


Replacing an ink tank When replacing the ink tanks, confirm that the new ink tanks are installed properly. If the ink tanks are not locked into place, paper may not be fed properly, or ink may not be supplied to the print head. Recommended Ink Tanks:

1. Confirm that the printer is powered on and press the Open button. (The paper output tray will open.)
   
   
   
   
2. Lift the scanning unit (printer cover) completely. (The print head will move to the replacement position.)
   
   
   
   Note:
   When the scanning unit (printer cover) is opened more than ten minutes, the print head moves to the right side. If this occurs, close the scanning unit (printer cover), and open it again.
   
   
   
3. Open the inner cover.
   
   
4. Press on the tab to release the ink tank, then remove it from its slot. If you are replacing multiple ink tanks, make sure to replace one by one.
   
   
   
   
5. Check the ink tank. If the orange tape is as shown in Figure <1>, it is properly removed. If the tape is not removed (as in figure <2>, pleease remove the extra tape).
   
   
   
   
6. Insert the ink tanks into the print head.
   
   Note:
   Press the mark "PUSH" on the ink tank firmly until you hear a click.
   
   
   
   
7. Ensure that all the ink tanks are installed properly and the ink tank lamps light red.
   
   
   
   <7> The ink tanks are installed properly.
   <8> The ink tanks are not installed properly.
   
   Note:
   Ink Tank Lamp
   You can check the status of each ink tank according to the way its lamp flashes.
   
   
   • - On: The printer is ready to print.
     
   • - Slow flashing (at about three second interval): Ink is low. Prepare a new ink tank.
     
   • - Fast flashing (at about one second interval): Ink tank is empty, or the printer is not ready due to an error.
     
   • - Off: An error has occurred and the printer is not ready to print.
     
     
8. Close the inner cover and the scanning unit (printer cover).
   
   Note:
   
   
9. 1. When closing the scanning unit (printer cover), be careful not to jam your finger.
      
      
   2. When starting printing next time, the print head cleaning launches automatically.
      

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Was the code of the cartridge you put is correct? if not then replace it.if it is right, then check the nozzles, the printer heads and clean. some printer is equipped with cleaning tools software that might help you.

Your problem is the print head. You can buy one from Canon for about $95, or find them new from dealers on Ebay for $60 to $70. For a less expensive fix, try to remove the print head and clean it. (You don't need any tools, just remove the ink tanks and pull the print head forward and out. Over time, the receivers tend to get dry & crusted ink on them. Note that the inks used are fast drying inks to keep your pictures, etc. from smudging after you print them. Try not to use solvent. I use q-tips and hot water, then dry using another q-tip. If this does not work, there are commercial cleaning kits available for about $10. Short of that, your choice is to replace the print head or the printer itself. My i960 prints such good quality color prints and normal color printing, that I would fix it rather than replace the printer. I hope the easy cleaning does it for you!

take out both ink cartridges, lift up head clip and take out printhead block

stand printhead block in a shallow dish of windex overnight, rinse it off, place back in printer, replace ink cartridges

do a clean cycle

Have you tried cleaning the print heads or replacing the color cartridge? where as it it printing black fine it leads me to believe the problem lies in the color cartridge. my first recomendation would be to run the clean print head wizard in the printer settings and if that does not work then replace your color cartridge.

Hi please try these steps:::

Right-click the printer icon, and then select 'Properties'.
2. Click the 'Maintenance' tab, and then click 'Deep Cleaning'.



3. Select 'All Colors', 'Black' or 'Color' for the print head to be cleaned.





4. Read the message displayed, and then click 'OK'. The power lamp blinks and print head deep cleaning starts. (Do not perform any other operations until print head deep cleaning is complete. Print head deep cleaning takes about 1 minute.)

IF ABOVE STEPS DOESN'T WORK TRY THESE STEPS BELOW

Check ink tank vent hole The ink tank requires air to flow through it so ink can move from the reservoir to the print heads.

1. Confirm there is no orange tape across the top of the ink tank
   
   
2. If the orange tape is as shown in Figure (1), it is properly removed.
   
   
   
   *BCI-3's shown in this example.
   
   
3. If the orange tape is as shown in Figure (2), remove the remaining tape to the level shown in Figure (1).
   
   
4. Make sure each ink tank is snapped into the printer.
   
   IF THESE STEPS DIDNOT WORK THEN YOUR PRINTER NEEDS REPAIR(You might need to change the printer head.)
   

Yep same as above. Black prints very light gray after 5 years of good printing. Tried every test, replaced black cartridges with different brands. Just wondering if somehow you can clean the heads. I'm convinced the black head is almost totally clogged. Does anyone know how to remove the printer heas to do this?