Clean and Tension the Extruder Drive Gears and Nozzle

This procedure resolves under-extrusion by clearing debris from the filament path and ensuring consistent extrusion pressure.

Tools needed: Brass wire brush, compressed air, adjustable wrench.

Steps:

1. Safety: Turn off the printer and allow the hotend to cool completely.
2. Clear Gears: Open the idler door on the extruder assembly. Use a brass wire brush and compressed air to remove all plastic shavings and dust from the dual-drive gears.
3. Adjust Tension: Close the idler door. Tighten the idler screw until the screw head is flush with the plastic casing, ensuring even pressure on the filament.
4. Nozzle Sealing (V6-based models): Heat the hotend to 250 °C. Hold the heater block with an adjustable wrench and tighten the nozzle against the heatbreak, ensuring a ~1 mm gap remains between the nozzle hex head and the block.

Verification: Perform a test print with a simple calibration cube to confirm that extrusion is consistent and free of gaps or clicking sounds.

Sources