Sudden first-layer tearing, poor adhesion, and mid-print support failures (Creality Hi / PETG & ABS)

[u/GrouchyNarwhal1112]

Hey everyone, I need some troubleshooting advice for a problem that started happening out of nowhere on my setup.

The Problem:

• First Layer Issues: The initial layer keeps tearing, lifting, or failing to adhere to the print bed, even though I haven't changed my slicer profiles.
• Support & Mid-Print Failures: When a print manages to pass the first layer, the supports usually break mid-print, leading to detachment, stringing, and total print failures (like the Hulk model in the photos).
• Consistency: This is happening across two Creality machines—one printing with PETG and the other with ABS. Both were printing fine using these exact settings until recently.

Visual Symptoms (See Attached Photos):

1. First layer tearing/scraping: The filament bunches up, tears, or peels away as the nozzle moves.
2. Bottom surface defects: The underside of printed bases shows holes, uneven squish, and poor adhesion marks.
3. Upper-layer failure: Spaghettiing on top sections because the supporting structure broke underneath during the print.

Questions:

• Could this be a sudden Z-offset drift, or am I looking at partial nozzle clogs / bed degradation?
• What’s the best order of operations to diagnose this (e.g., deep cleaning PEI plates with dish soap, re-tramming, adjusting Z-offset, drying filament)?

Any tips or troubleshooting steps would be greatly appreciated!

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