Cleaning and Replacing a Nozzle


Sometimes junk and other stuff gets trapped in the very tip of your nozzle. This can block off portions of the filament and cause jamming and under extrusion. This is most common when you are switching between different types of filament a lot. We saw one of our extruders had something in the tip of it so took a quick video to show you how the nozzle will extrude if it is clogged up versus how it will extrude when it is cleaned up. 







Cold Pull Cleaning

  • Heat extruder up to operating temperature (this is dependant on the material used) but for PLA this is about 200 C. To do this heat up the hot end by going to the main menu and selecting the "Prepare" option. Then scroll to the very bottom and select the "Set temperature" option.

  • Select the "Hotend" option and rotate the scroll wheel to set the temperature to 200 degrees and then hit the button to save the temperature.


  • Extrude 5mm of filament to build up pressure in the hot end by going to Prepare>Extruder>Extrude 5mm.




  • Change the temperature on the hot end and let the temperature cool down to 100C by following the same steps that you used to heat the nozzle up just barely but set the temperature to 100 degrees and wait a minute or two to let it cool down.

  • When around 100C retract extruder by going to Prepare>Extruder>Retract 5mm  once or twice to pull the filament out of the Hot end. 

  • Remove the Bowden clip by sliding it sideways from around the Bowden coupling.

  • Use your fingernail and press down on the black ring around the Bowden tube and pull up firmly on the Bowden tube. 

  • Extrude material until it sticks out about an inch from the end of the Bowden tube (The easiest way to probably do this is to just push the lever on the extruder and push the filament by hand). Cut off the chunk of film that you just pushed out, if you look close at the end you might be able to see a small point to the filament that pulled any crud out of your nozzle.

  • Reinsert Bowden tube, heat extruder back up, test for consistent extrusion.

  • If it works, you are ready to print.

  • If it does not you may need to replace the nozzle.




Replacing A Nozzle

  • Heat up hot end by hitting the main menu button and selecting the "Prepare" menu.


  • The very last option on the prepare menu is called "Set Temperature" select it.


  • Scroll down and select "Hot End" and then use the scroll wheel to set the temperature to 200 degrees and push the button to save that setting.



  • Back out to the "Prepare" menu by either selecting the option at the very top that is just the three dots (...) which will back you up a screen or just waiting a few seconds and it will automatically take you back to the front screen (just enter back into the prepare menu same as in the first few steps.)
  • From the "Prepare" menu select the option that says "Extruder".


  • There should be two filament options, one that says "Extrude 5mm" and one that says "Retract 5mm". Hit the option that says "Retract 5mm" three or four times. This will back the filament out of the nozzle so you can change it out easily. 


  • You need to hold the heater block so it doesn't rotate while you unscrew the nozzle. We normally use a small crescent wrench but you can also use a 10 mm end wrench. Be careful to not touch the nozzle because it will be hot.


  • Use a 7mm socket driver to unscrew nozzle.
  • Cool down the hot end by going to the "Prepare" menu and selecting the "Cool down" option.
  • Once the hot end is cooled down, go ahead and thread your new nozzle back into place. Be sure to use the wrench and socket driver from before to make sure that is seated snugly into place.