Help! massive loss of resolution

[coppertea 0]

Hello! 

 

my 3d printer (flsun prusa printer) for some reason has suffered a huge loss of print resolution,

going from something like this:

to something like this:

(it's supposed to be a chicken)

 

I THINK ~ the issue is that the hot end won't raise up on the Z axis enough. whenever its running, i hear a slight grind every once in a while as the hot end passes over cooled filament. 

 

IVE TRYED ~ slowing everything down (putting everything on 20), lowering and raising the hot end temperature (its PLA so from 190 - 210), and updating the marlin software. 

Any Advice?