How to repair Canon SmartBase MP360

How to repair Canon SmartBase MP360, flashing error code ##345

Other Canon models "may" be repaired with these instructions also, for example MP370, MP390, etc. Try with your own risk.


Symptoms:
-Grinding noise (very loud)
-Flashes error code ##345

Error code ##345 = "BJ cartridge head cleaning error" -reasons for this are:
-Foreign material or dried ink in head cleaning unit (also known as "purge unit") , or waste ink pump jammed up. Make sure waste ink pump rotates freely, after cleaning. Clean the waste pump-hose too! Waste ink pump is located under head cleaning system.

Short solution:
1.Take apart and wash the ink clogged mechanical parts. Use hot water.
2. Reset waste ink counter


What to do (Long version):

First, use your head!

Dont rush, this operation takes several hours / days to complete!

-Take apart the whole printer, so there is only a metal frame left, with couple of paper-rollers, and motors, and the "Print-head cleaning" -system. Wash this cleaning-system.

-Mark all wires that look the same (especially white flat ones), take photographs when disassembling, or use photographic memory :P

In detail, remove at least following items:
-Main Power lead!
-Casing (Use brigh flaslight to see TWO front cover-screws under the dark plastic!)
-Scanner (BEWARE of fragile flat-wires)
-Main electronic controller board
-Some other shit, metal plate, plastic cover, you will see.
-Plastic base plate
-All materials that might absorb water. (two sponges, and one rubber foam part)

The two sponges are between metalframe and baseplate, they absorb exess ink. Wash these separately, and dry, or change for new. (I left the shorter one out, when assembling)

There is also one long rubber foam part that is near where paper comes out, (visible from outside the printer, when cover is opened).

To get rid of the excess ink: Wash dirty parts heavily for 10 to 15 minutes with hot water. When outcoming water is clear, then it is clean.

-I let it to dry for couple of days (on heated floor), but you can use your imagination, compressed air could help it dry faster.

Assemble it back together, and it works.... at least MINE did xD

If you have no idea what youre doing, then don´t do it. But its broken anyway , what do you have to lose?

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How to reset waste ink counter (you SHOULD clean the printer also):

*AF-Key = Additional Functions key = the black button with the star in a head above it.


1) Enter SERVICE MODE. (Press AF-Key, followed by "scan", "copy", "scan" -Keys)
2) Select TEST MODE (press right arrow button 13 times).
3) Hit -OK-
4) Select [8] PRINTER TEST
5) Hit -OK-
6) It'll now say "- 8-2 +" press the right arrow key once to get "- 8-3 +"
7) Hit -OK-
8) Select 0. [INK COUNT].
9) Hit -OK-
10) It should return to showing the "8: Printer Test - 8-3 +"
11) Press the [Stop/Reset]key - (black key with triangle and circle on it) - (returning to the state of 4), and then press the [ON/OFF] key.

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Cleaning the print head:

At any time, DO NOT wipe the actual print head with your fingers. Use ONLY water.

-Remove print head assembly from printer.
-Remove ink tanks.
-Use running warm water, wash away the exess ink that is dried around the print head.
-Take one disposable mug, fill with hot water, drop the print head assembly in there, and let it soak for an hour, or so.
(-IF you have massaging shower head, with spray jet -function, use this to deep clean the actual print head.)
-Dry it up carefully, do not wipe actual print head, just tap gently with soft paper.
-Install ink tanks, install assembly to printer, let it settle for some time (5-30 minutes)
-Run Nozzle check, cleaning, print head alignment.
-All done <3

##345 in detail

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I had the same problem of loud clicking and this error code on my MP360. It turned out to be a sticking purge assembly mechanism. Here (from memory, so apologies if I forgot something or put it out of sequence) are detailed instructions on how to get to the root of the problem:

Unplug all cables from the printer.

Secure the front of the lid of the scanner to the scanner bed with adhesive tape to prevent it from opening during dismantling and reassembly.

Retract the telescopic extension on the paper support and carefully disengage the paper support from its two hinge pins at the rear of the printer.

From the rear, remove the power supply cover (5 screws). Lift the cover and slide to the right to disengage the tab on the cover extension from the printer casing.

Lift up the front of the scanner bed and if necessary press the release button at the front of the printer to lower the paper output tray.

Hinge forward the print cartridge access cover and remove it by disengaging the right hinge pin from the casing and lifting to allow the left hinge pin to be removed.

Disengage the right hand hinge pin of the paper output tray. Bring the right hand side of the tray forward just enough to pull the left hand hinge pin out of its keyed socket and remove the tray.

Now for the tricky bit: remove the two shiny plastic front side covers. These are clipped onto the main side covers by a number of claws – if you use a bright light you can see where these are through the smoked plastic. Start on the outside at the top and work down. You may need to use quite a bit of force and it may not do your fingers much good as you try to get the bottom of the covers unclipped. If anyone has a way of doing this without getting their fingers trapped I’d like to know! Using a screwdriver or similar as a lever is not recommended as the main side covers are made of fairly soft plastic that is easily damaged.

Remove 1 screw at the front and 2 screws at the rear of the right hand side cover. Pull the cover up and away from the side of the printer, disengaging the scanner bed from its hinge socket on the cover. Note: at this point the scanner bed is no longer physically mounted on the printer so take care that it doesn’t slide off or put strain on the wires.

Disconnect the scanner bed electrical connections: unplug 2 ribbon cables and 1 connector from towards the rear of the exposed printed circuit board and unscrew the earth wire terminal.

Pull the scanner bed from its remaining hinge socket on the left hand side cover and lift it off the printer, at the same time unthreading the wires from their retainer on the printer upper casing.

Use a small screwdriver to depress the 2 tabs and to lever forward the paper output tray release button from the front of the left hand side cover. Remove the button and its spring.

Remove 1 screw at the front and 2 screws at the rear of the left hand side cover. Pull the cover up and away from the side of the printer.

Unplug 3 ribbon cables from the printed circuit board, pull the loose ends up through the slot in the upper casing and unclip them from the tabs that hold them in place in their channel in the upper casing.

Remove the remaining (power supply) connector from the printed circuit board and unclip the bundle of grey wires from its guides.

Follow the pair of wires from the paper output tray release mechanism at the front left of the printer to their connection on the circuit board to the left hand side of the printer. Remove this connector and unwind the wires from the lug on the printer top cover.

Remove the 4 screws that secure the printer top cover (2 at the front and 2 in deep recesses towards the rear) and lift it free, guiding the ribbon cables through the slot.

Remove 3 screws (2 to the base and 1 to the printer assembly) and lift out the printed circuit board.

Remove 3 screws securing the rear of the printer assembly to the base: 1 at the left and 2 at the right. Note that it’s not necessary to remove the second screw on the left (which is just as well, as it’s almost inaccessible under the motor).

Remove the printer assembly by lifting it at the rear, allowing its front securing lugs to disengage from the base.

Unplug the electrical connectors to the purge unit from the central circuit board: a grey cable that goes to the motor and the threesome of coloured wires. Unthread these wires from their retaining clips. (Note: it is not necessary to unplug the pair of red wires that go to the other motor.)

From the rear of the printer assembly, remove 1 screw from the small metal bracket that holds a large cog and a swinging cog in place between the purge assembly motor and the drive cogs for the paper feed mechanism.

Swing the locking lever up and over the print head, remove the print head from the carriage and return the locking lever to its lower position. Keep the print head upright and put it down somewhere flat and clean (e.g. on a sheet of paper) that you don’t mind getting covered in ink!

Depress the printer carriage locking mechanism (use a small screwdriver to push down on the arm with the spring attached to it at the front bottom right of the purge mechanism) and slide the printer carriage to the left along the carriage rod.

Remove the wire clip that retains the right hand end of the carriage rod and slide the rod to the left so that it is clear of the purge assembly. Try to keep the rod in line so as not to put undue strain on the toothed drive belt or the position locating film ribbon.

Remove 2 purge assembly retaining screws (1 screw at the top from the front and 1 screw at the bottom from the rear). Ensure the wires are free and guide them through the aperture as you remove the purge assembly from the front.

Remove 1 screw retaining the small circuit board with its coloured wires to the purge assembly and remove the board.

Remove 2 screws retaining the motor to the purge assembly and remove the motor. Note: as you do this, some of the items in the next three instructions may fall away from the purge assembly, so take note of their positions and orientation before you remove the motor.

Remove the set of cogs that were mounted on the motor’s larger brass spindle.

Withdraw a metal spindle that was held in place by the motor to remove another cog.

Remove a third cog that was held in place by the end of the motor’s smaller brass spindle.

Remove the fibre pad from its rubber moulding on the top of the purge unit’s central sprung assembly.

Remove the rubber moulding.

Remove a white block of absorbent material and a thinner pad of black absorbent material from the printer base.

Wash the purge unit, the fibre pad, the rubber moulding, the black absorbent pad (and the white absorbent block if it is soiled) in warm water. Dry well (this may take some time for the absorbent items).

Lubricate the purge assembly mechanism's bearing surfaces. I presume that there’s a specific grease for this but I used some surplus yellow grease that I found elsewhere inside the printer together with a drop or two of silicon lubricant. Pay particular note to the cams on the black shaft with the black cog – that’s where the problem was for me. The purge assembly is is a complex mechanical mechanism with a lot of moving parts, so there is ample scope for things to wear and to jam. By rotating the shaft with the black cog with your finger you should be able to get some idea of what's not moving freely and therefore where to direct your attention. When rotated in the correct direction first the central sprung assembly should drop and then the wiper arm should pass over the sprung assembly from the rear to the front of the purge assembly and back again.

Once you’re happy that everything is free and easy, put it all back together again.

Tips:

1. The two hinge pin tabs on the printer are remarkably fragile once the paper support is removed: don’t put any side pressure on them (e.g. by putting the printer down on them) or they will snap off.

2. Keep careful note of the disposition of the ribbon cables – use a plastic paper clip, a bulldog clip or similar (something that won’t damage them) to hold them together in the right configuration. (Alternatively, mark them for identification, in which case you can disconnect them at the other end and remove them completely, although there is no need to do this.)

3. If you can’t remember which screw was which, screws with a coarse pitch generally secure into plastic whereas the machine screws with a fine pitch secure into metal. So, for example, the front (upper) screw that holds the purge mechanism in place is a machine screw as it screws through a hole in the plastic of the purge assembly into the metal of the print assembly; whereas the rear (lower) screw is of coarser pitch as it screws through a hole in the metal into the plastic of the purge assembly.

4. It’s possible to test that all is well before completely reassembling the printer. WARNING: This procedure will cause the exposed power supply to be live and should only be undertaken by those who are used to working with electricity; do not work on the printer with the mains lead connected. Once the printed circuit board is in place, position the scanner bed upside down next to the printer so its cables can reach the printed circuit board. Temporarily connect all trailing wires and cables to their destinations. Check that the ribbon cables are clear of the paper feed mechanism. Finally connect the power lead to the back of the printer then to the mains and switch on. (If nothing happens then you probably need to press the on/off switch on the control panel, which, of course, is now underneath...) Once you’ve observed what happens, switch off the power and unplug the mains lead first from the socket and then from the back of the printer before continuing. You’ll need to unplug some of the connections again in order to complete the reassembly. However, if you’re careful you can leave the scanner bed connections in place and simply turn it over onto the top cover once it’s in place as the scanner bed’s wires can be fed into their retainer on the top cover through the slot.

5. A long shafted Philips screwdriver of the correct size and with a bit of magnetic attraction (or some other way of holding the screw on the end of the driver) makes the removal and positioning of screws easier – particularly those in deep recesses.

6. Either acquire some disposable latex gloves or be prepared to have black hands for a few days.