If you are having difficulty getting a good print out of your refilled cartridge, there are a few things you can do which in most cases will solve your problem.

Problem:  Cartridge print head dried out or blocked.

Solution:  This can occur when the cartridge has been exposed to air for too long without use.  The print head nozzle holes are extremely small and if dried ink blocks these holes the cartridge will print with streaks or not at all.  This can be solved by placing the print head in a dish of hot water (not boiling...hot tap water will do) so that only the print head itself is covered for about 5 minutes.  Clean off any excess water left on the cartridge and re-install.  You can also try performing the print head cleaning procedure as described in your printer owner's manual.  For longer term storage of your refilled cartridge, wrap a damp (not wet) paper towel around the cartridge and then place in a zip lock bag while trying to expel most of the air out of the bag before sealing.

Problem:  Printer does not recognize cartridge has been installed.

Solution:  It is possible that the print head contacts are dirty.  Gently clean the print head contacts with a damp paper towel and dry thoroughly before trying.

Problem:  Low quality printout, colour distortion or no print due to damaged print head.

Solution:  Many cartridges consist of a built-in print head that uses internal resistors that create heat to actually fire the tiny droplets of ink onto the page.  If any attempt is made to print when the ink in the cartridge is low or in fact out, this will cause damage to the print head in the cartridge.  It uses the ink to act as a coolant protecting the print head resistors.  Attempting to print from an empty cartridge will in effect burn out those resistors.  At this time, the only cure is replacing the cartridge ( if the cartridge is the type with the integral print head) or the print heads in the printer itself.  Never attempt to print when an empty cartridge is in the printer.

Problem:  Contamination of colours resulting in poor print quality.

Solution:  It is possible that through capillary action across the cartridge print head that some mixing of the colours can occur.  This is usually a minor contamination that can be corrected.  Try printing blocks of pure colour by using a program such as Microsoft Paint (under Programs>Accessories>Paint) for each of the colours in the cartridge (typically Cyan, Magenta and Yellow).  You can also run the cleaning routines found in your printer user manual.