<p>I think I have a big under-extrusion problem with my Ender 3. When I start printing, the first two or three layers print perfectly, but the nozzle gets clogged at some point and the extruder starts skipping.</p>
<p>When I pull the filament out of the extruder I notice that it has expanded inside the nozzle, I've tried lowering the printing speed, retraction distance, and even turning off retraction.</p>
<p>When I turn off retraction, the quality is terrible, but at least it prints completely.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/M6nted4p.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/M6nted4p.jpg" alt="Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded" title="Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li>Printer: Ender 3</li>
<li>Print temp: 190 °C</li>
<li>Bed temp: 50 °C</li>
<li>Filament: Creality PLA</li>
<li>Infill: 20%</li>
<li>Speed: 50 mm/s</li>
<li>Layer height: .2 mm</li>
<li>Retraction: 4 mm @ 25 mm/s</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-11T01:35:10.723Z
This looks like an e-step issue. This [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8FQzUYgrQ) has good info on calibrating it, and coincidentally uses an Ender 3 to do so. He also has another video that discusses calculating the retraction speed and distance - I believe it's in one of his Cura videos about things you should always check, but I don't remember exactly which one.
Ken White
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-05-12T02:35:28.110Z
Thank you so much, I'll give it a try to both videos
Luis Plascencia
<underextrusion><retraction>
Under extrusion problem
Luis Plascencia
# Under extrusion problem

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-05-05)

I think I have a big under-extrusion problem with my Ender 3. When I start printing, the first two or three layers print perfectly, but the nozzle gets clogged at some point and the extruder starts skipping.

When I pull the filament out of the extruder I notice that it has expanded inside the nozzle, I've tried lowering the printing speed, retraction distance, and even turning off retraction.

When I turn off retraction, the quality is terrible, but at least it prints completely.

[![Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded](https://i.sstatic.net/M6nted4p.jpg "Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded")](https://i.sstatic.net/M6nted4p.jpg "Photo of filament pulled from the nozzle with the end expanded")

* Printer: Ender 3
* Print temp: 190 °C
* Bed temp: 50 °C
* Filament: Creality PLA
* Infill: 20%
* Speed: 50 mm/s
* Layer height: .2 mm
* Retraction: 4 mm @ 25 mm/s

**Tags:** underextrusion, retraction

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This looks like an e-step issue. This [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8FQzUYgrQ) has good info on calibrating it, and coincidentally uses an Ender 3 to do so. He also has another video that discusses calculating the retraction speed and distance - I believe it's in one of his Cura videos about things you should always check, but I don't remember exactly which one.  
> **username_0**: Thank you so much, I'll give it a try to both videos  

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## 0 answers

