My extruder is a E3D Lite6 attached to a spring loaded mechanism like this: [goo.gl]. Recently it has started intermittently making "tick" or "clunk" noises and under-extruding so that areas that should be solid have gaps in them. This sounds like the extruder motor is skipping. It works fine when I test it by manually extruding filament, and I've tried adjusting the driver and even replacing it. It happens on more than one filament and doesn't seem to change with temperature.

Could this be that the PTFE tube in the E3D Lite6 is partially blocked? It's not completely blocked, as filament does come out, and it seems to happen worst when the printer is doing a large solid line segment. I am not able to get the PTFE liner out to see if it is damaged (any tips on this welcome), but I think it might have happened around the time I cleared out E3D using a piece of welding wire after problems with a bad filament.

Any ideas or suggestions welcome - thanks!

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See my blog at [moosteria.blogspot.com].

Could be a nozzle jam. Try disassembling your heater block and soaking it in acetone (I've heard this works, but please double check). This should dissolve the plastic and / or loosen the blockage if there is one. Also, while its open, Take a look at your PTFE tube. Is it badly deformed at the bottom?

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Master Tinkerer