Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

[M94]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

Great job. While you have the laser out of the machine, pay attention to the worm gears on each laser. That's attached to a cleaning pad the runs up and down the laser slit glass when you perform laser cleaning. I've had problems with those binding and causing a wide white streak on the paper. Blackcat says to use grease on those. I forget when kind he said to use. I can look back through my notes and let you know. If memory serves correctly, he also said the springs need the proper tension or you'll have problems.

The type of grease would be appreciated, although all I have is white lithium and tri-flow lubricant. I see the worm gear for cleaning so yeah I guess I'll just find that MM and run it once it's back together. I'll add the drum motors to my list although I think at this point Sparkycivic made a few suggestions so his are gonna be what I tackle next. I only have an hour left in the office today so I suspect the rest of my day will be reassembling the LSU and finisher and making sure it all works still lol.

Oh and for lubing those gears we want to lube the little white ones on the end not the black worm correct?
Also do you know if the black units are interchangable? If so I want to switch one with magenta because I have a slight magenta tint on a few previous prints. I don't really think it's LSU but if it doesn't hurt to switch them around I might as well while it's out of the machine.

Edit> BC just posted they are in fact interchangeable thank you!
Edit2> Billy also got the answer, and does that mean I should go ahead with some isopropyl or just let the worm do it's job?

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

The type of grease would be appreciated, although all I have is white lithium and tri-flow lubricant. I see the worm gear for cleaning so yeah I guess I'll just find that MM and run it once it's back together. I'll add the drum motors to my list although I think at this point Sparkycivic made a few suggestions so his are gonna be what I tackle next. I only have an hour left in the office today so I suspect the rest of my day will be reassembling the LSU and finisher and making sure it all works still lol.

Oh and for lubing those gears we want to lube the little white ones on the end not the black worm correct?
Also do you know if the black units are interchangable? If so I want to switch one with magenta because I have a slight magenta tint on a few previous prints. I don't really think it's LSU but if it doesn't hurt to switch them around I might as well while it's out of the machine.

Edit> BC just posted they are in fact interchangeable thank you!

You can swap the lasers around but if you're getting a magenta tint, I don't think the laser is the problem. More than likely it's the dv or drum. Try calibrating and halftone adjustments if you haven't already.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

M94,

blackcat is much more knowledgeable on these machines than I. I'd like for him to answers your questions because I don't want to tell you any wrong information. I'm relatively inexperienced on these machines myself.

[M94]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

M94,

blackcat is much more knowledgeable on these machines than I. I'd like for him to answers your questions because I don't want to tell you any wrong information. I'm relatively inexperienced on these machines myself.

No worries man you've been plenty helpful, most of you guys are wealths of knowledge in one department or another. I'm sure blackcat will be around shortly to school us

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

Agreed. The only reason that I've ever changed a Kyocera laser is if the cleaners fail.

Clean the worm with alcohol then grease with the white lithium grease (not the gear teeth). Make sure that the the spring presses the cleaner back onto the worm when you drive the cleaner to the end. The idea is that the spring helps the cleaner restart onto the worm when traveling the other way. If there isn't enough spring tension the cleaner will crossthread or not re-start.

=^..^=

[M94]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

Alright guys it's all back together and appears to be running as I would expect. I also learned that somone who pulled this apart before never replaced 4 screws. It doesn't look like any of them are terribly critical so I don't think I'm going to worry about it too much. The worms got rubbed down with alchohol and greased (aka had a good friday)

I'm off work in about 20m so I think that's it for the week. I do just kind of intend to keep running with this thread though, I have no idea how long it's gonna be until they can ship me off to school so this seems like as good a way as any to spend my time. Thanks to everyone particapating and a bonus thanks to Blackcat and Billy for spending the extra time to make sure I'm on track here. If anyone has any other ideas for good ways to practise and test myself I'm all ears. At this point I think I'm going to run through the suggestions sparky left me and go from there.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

I have a suggestion, if you're ready for another task:

Compare the feed units between the 355ici and the 5551ci. Take special note of the (5) conveyance rollers on the bottom of the higher speed model, but not on the lower speed model.

If you've getting paper skewing from the paper trays you can solve this by changing some springs. The center roller has adequate pressure, but the outer (4) rollers have very wimpy springs allowing the paper to skew.

For two trays install (8) longer springs 5.5 to 6.0mm diameter coils, 17mm uncompressed length ([8] 302K929780 spring, [8] 2FM04150 cap).

The roller holder at the front is very easy to remove. The one at the rear is more difficult. This won't help you on the slower speed models. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

I have a suggestion, if you're ready for another task:

Compare the feed units between the 355ici and the 5551ci. Take special note of the (5) conveyance rollers on the bottom of the higher speed model, but not on the lower speed model.

If you've getting paper skewing from the paper trays you can solve this by changing some springs. The center roller has adequate pressure, but the outer (4) rollers have very wimpy springs allowing the paper to skew.

For two trays install (8) longer springs 5.5 to 6.0mm diameter coils, 17mm uncompressed length ([8] 302K929780 spring, [8] 2FM04150 cap).

The roller holder at the front is very easy to remove. The one at the rear is more difficult. This won't help you on the slower speed models. =^..^=

You talking about the feed unit in the 3,000 sheet paper deck?

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

Nope. Tray #1 and tray #2 (upper & lower trays in the main body). =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

Nope. Tray #1 and tray #2 (upper & lower trays in the main body). =^..^=

I see. I'm gonna have to check that out.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

The same applies equally to the other Alphard family machines. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

The same applies equally to the other Alphard family machines. =^..^=

You're a wealth of knowledge, my man. I bet that's something you won't find in the service manual.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

5505ci Skewing from all trays

*&%&%& 3050ci with skewed image.. HELP

*&%&%& 3050ci with skewed image.. HELP

I was only a small voice of that conversation. Credit goes to 20gaugeO/U. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

5505ci Skewing from all trays

*&%&%& 3050ci with skewed image.. HELP

*&%&%& 3050ci with skewed image.. HELP

I was only a small voice of that conversation. Credit goes to 20gaugeO/U. =^..^=

The diagrams in the threads helped me to understand the rollers that you were referring to. I wasn't sure. Have you ever tried stretching the springs to make it work?

[blackcat4866]

Re: Let's Play a Game (Taskalpha 3551ci)

The original springs are only 9mm long. By the time you stretch them to 17mm they are still not strong enough. With 21mm springs, the rollers and shaft pop right out of the holder of their own volition, making it pretty difficult to re-assemble.

I have no shortage of potential replacement springs in my miscellany. =^..^=