Digital BW, The Print

After multiple cleanings and shaking the cartidges, I seem to have 
gotten the eboni black cartridge to start printing some (all the 
other inks are perfectly audible when sloshing around inside when 
you shake them.  The eboni can't be heard at all.  In fact, I 
thought it was empty before is started leaking out).

But....

The banding is terrible.  There are weird white stripes at either 
end of the print.  It does this whether or not curves are applied 
and regardless of the paper used or selected.

Is it time to send this batch back and call it quits?  Actually, the 
normal Epson inks do fine except for the metamerism....