Help please with bad blacks on a MPC2503 - My Nemesis!

[dave w]

Really need some guidance please as all my knowledge on MFPshas been exhausted due to my experience.



I have a MPC2503 that is printing off bad quality blacks andit fades with use.

Counter color 27772 b&w 107345
Parts fitted = new pcu + dev unit + itb + charge roller - Toner hopper was swopped over from a working machine.

Black looks good on page counter, in sp mode under printer a test page was generated and blacks look good apart from one line


Pics of samples.


orig test pic
orig color chart.jpg

copy of color chart - color and black & white

black white copy.jpg
color copy.jpg

when a run a test print SP1-103-002

you can see one black line affected
color test chart with fault.JPG

when the ProCon is run the ProCon ok? shows 1111111 which I read as ok

same with IBACC ok? & TD sens init ok?

no faults detected.

Laser unit removed and checked for dirt & dust.

really need help here.

[slimslob]

Assuming that the Printer SP 1103-2 print is fed SEF, it looks to me like you have a problem with the black development unit or there is something on the black laser shield glass. When you use high lint content (crap) paper, paper lint will get into the development unit and create clumps that will clog the doctor blade gap. You can try cleaning the doctor blade but if the problem keeps coming back, the only solution is to replace the development unit as Ricoh does not sell developer for the 03s.

[Mark Bbb]

you have forgotten to install the rear pcdu cover of the black pcdu.
OR you didn't shake the development unit well...
Try this out, please.

[Ricohguy]

you have forgotten to install the rear pcdu cover of the black pcdu.
OR you didn't shake the development unit well...
Try this out, please.

I can almost guarantee this is correct.

[Zaxxon]

you have forgotten to install the rear pcdu cover of the black pcdu.
OR you didn't shake the development unit well...
Try this out, please.

This get me vote!

[slimslob]

you have forgotten to install the rear pcdu cover of the black pcdu.
OR you didn't shake the development unit well...
Try this out, please.

I can almost guarantee this is correct.

This get me vote!

I am wondering, since the black development unit has a recommended PM cycle of 600K and it only had a total of 135K on the black development unit, why was it replaced unless the problem already existed?

[Polarbear]

This get me vote!

+1 on the rear cover with the copper contact. Experienced this first hand and it had me beat for a week before I figured out what I had done wrong!

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[copier tech]

you have forgotten to install the rear pcdu cover of the black pcdu.
OR you didn't shake the development unit well...
Try this out, please.

Yes you get this exact print quality issue if you dont fit the rear cover on the PCDU.
If the cover has been fitted check the copper bias contact is OK.

[copier tech]

I am wondering, since the black development unit has a recommended PM cycle of 600K and it only had a total of 135K on the black development unit, why was it replaced unless the problem already existed?

Wrong, the MPC2503 dev PM life is only 120k

[Cipher]

I once had a real shit of a colour reg issue on a MP C2503 where processed K text made up of CMY was ghosting near the rear.

Turned out it was a new and recently fitted colour drum unit that was faulty.
It looked fine on inspection but this one drum unit was producing skewed prints.

It caught me out as you really don't expect a new drum unit to be faulty in this way.
Hence you end up ruling it out early on in troubleshooting and looking at other things.