Question about Ender 3S with potential heat creep? | 3D Printing | Page 1

placid coral Jan 10, 2026, 2:11 AM

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I have an Ender 3S that worked fine until recently where after some layers it begins partially clogging. After double checking online I believe it is heat creep.

I’ve already replaced the nozzle (0.4) for an identical one and run a PID test for the nozzle at 200. But the problem persists.

My next suspect is the fan for cooling the heat break but I’m not sure what to check (besides if it’s still spinning).

Is there something else that could be wrong that I’ve missed?

sick oxideBOT Jan 10, 2026, 2:11 AM

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placid coral I have an Ender 3S that worked fine until recently where after some layers it be...

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AI Help

It sounds like you have already checked and addressed some common causes of partial clogging related to heat creep. In addition to the cooling fan for the heat break, you may also want to check the following:

Make sure the part cooling fan is working properly and providing adequate cooling to the print.
Ensure that the hotend assembly is properly secured and that there are no gaps between heat sink and cooling block.
Verify that the heat sink is clean and free from any debris or dust that could inhibit heat dissipation.

If none of these solve the issue, you may want to consider upgrading to a more efficient cooling solution or consulting with the manufacturer for further assistance.

placid coral Jan 10, 2026, 2:13 AM

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Forgot to add, am printing PLA at about 200 nozzle temp, 60 bed temp, and trying to print a calibration cube

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Part cooling fan is certainly functional, will check the rest

sick oxideBOT Jan 10, 2026, 4:19 AM

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sick oxideBOT Jan 10, 2026, 6:24 AM

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placid coral Jan 10, 2026, 11:40 AM

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Heat sink is free and there does not seem to be any obvious hole between the heat block and heat sink?

sick oxideBOT Jan 10, 2026, 1:44 PM

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sick oxideBOT Jan 11, 2026, 11:22 AM

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placid coral Heat sink is free and there does not seem to be any obvious hole between the hea...

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Hottightening the Nozzle

Tighten your nozzle at the highest possible temperature to make sure it fully seals against the heatbreak.
If the nozzle bottoms out against the heatblock, the heatbreak is not installed correctly. Refer to the graphic. Note that the maximum printing temperature is about 20C lower.

If you have a PTFE lined hotend, make sure you have taken care of ?thegap

latent shuttle Jan 11, 2026, 11:23 AM

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Looks like you have or had a leak on top of the heatblock

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Check the above things, looks like a typical Ender 3 heatcreep

sick oxideBOT Jan 11, 2026, 1:24 PM

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This post has been closed due to inactivity.

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placid coral Jan 11, 2026, 1:27 PM

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I’ve tried hot tightening the nozzle and Bowden tube again, but this is the furthest I can get through printing a calibration cube at 210 before the extruder motor starts clicking and under extrusion occurs

#Question about Ender 3S with potential heat creep?