Damaged PTFE Tube

Many 3D printers have a small Teflon tube inside of the nozzle assembly. Why? The teflon tube is a uniform diameter and helps guide the filament downwards, with great control.

However, this Teflon material cannot withstand high temperatures for very long. Be sure not to heat your printer over 240*C for very long! The Teflon will off-gas some nasty fumes, and ruin your tube, meaning it'll need to be replaced.

Check out the example photos below to see examples of a damaged PTFE tube. This tube has been cooked, malformed, clogged, and is beyond repair. No filament is making its way through this tube! It needs to replaced with an exact replacement.

Replacing the tube varies by manufacturer. In general, the steps are as follows:

1. Heat your nozzle to an adequate temperature for removal. The nozzle cannot be removed when the nozzle is cold, or it will break in half.
2. Pull the PTFE tube down and out of the nozzle assembly
3. Find the included PTFE replacement, or cut one of your own! PTFE tubes can be bought online, just make sure you have the same Inside Diameter (ID) and Outside Diameter (OD). Other sizes will not work.
4. Re-fit the new PTFE up into the Nozzle Assembly.
5. Re-fit the nozzle (or put on a new one, if you're replacing it too).