Ricoh MP900/ Toshiba 901.. JAM21 Exit/fuser

[tech07]

I have 2 Toshiba 901's MADE BY RICOH that are doing the same thing..JAM 21...The fuser/exit assembly seems to be slipping or not engaging correctly. I can actually hear a "gear slipping/not engaging noise, but not very loud. If I push in hard on that section it seems to stop jamming, sometimes I can lift out the fuser and reseat it and it will start working, Sometimes it will start working on it's own for several days.. I don't think it's the motor. It almost seems like a one way gear slipping or similar. I am new to Ricoh stuff. But Toshiba bought it and named it the 901
Is this a common Rocoh symptom on the big boxes..???

[cobiray]

The exit roller has a slip clutch of sorts on it, check that and the exit idlers sometimes pop out of place. Also check the coupling for the unit itself and how the gears mesh. Can you turn the unit by hand and hear the noise?

[pspahr]

Check that the toothed belt that transmits drive from the fusing drive motor to the fusing drive shaft/gear has tension on it. It uses an arm in attached to the fusing drive motor that pivots to increase tension on this belt. It should be spring actuated with a screw used to set it once the spring has applied the proper amount of tension.

What you describe, the intermittancy of the noise/jamming, is in line with my experience with Ricoh's. No, it's not a "common" problem, but you will run into drive issues occassionally, especially if the machines are getting along in age (4~5 million prints).

Also, are these machines new installs? Although rare I have seen where the retaining clips in the fusing unit haven't been removed, maybe check that, also.

The one thing that makes me think that maybe this isn't the issue is that when you put pressure on the unit while it's running it's behavior changes to a normal operation. That would be counter-intuitive to a loose/sagging belt as more pressure would seemingly make more drag and as such more noises and jamming. However, that doesn't mean that would occur. So, I'd give that a look and let us know what you find!