Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

[Iowatech]

When I change the drum units on this model (and the others that use that type of PCU set up), I like to pull the PCU out a little bit and then remove its front cover, then remove the screws from the bracket that holds the front side of the drum and developer units together before I pull the PCU entirely out of the machine. That way the waste toner tube has less chance of getting moved out of position.
Turns out it is kind of a bad idea to close that machine's inner front cover when a PCU's front cover is off. From what I saw after I pulled that moronic trick, there's a pin on the front left of that sort of drum unit that gets jammed in the works of the machine's inner front cover when it is closed then. That prevents the inner cover from being opened again, unless a good deal of force is applied. The part of the drum unit where the pin is located will break off when the cover is finally opened, too.
So far, it looks like I got lucky when I did that. There was nobody around when I had to force the inner cover open, and the drum unit really did need to be changed.
Still, I wanted to warn people about this, as I could see wrong and stupid things happening if the situation was different.

[slimslob]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

I have had a few times where the front drum shaft plate has gotten stuck on a drum unit. Had to take the hinges for the plate loose from the frame and slide the PCDU out with the plate attached.

[anothertech]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

Hey, I was surprised to read this today, this just happened to me yesterday for the first time. I had just replaced the Black drum with a color drum(that's all I had with me) on a MPc3300, and I put the drum in to test it without putting the front drum cover on, and it got stuck just like you said, had to force it open when no one was close by to hear or see. Lucky for me nothing broke, but lesson learned.

[Iowatech]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

I have had a few times where the front drum shaft plate has gotten stuck on a drum unit. Had to take the hinges for the plate loose from the frame and slide the PCDU out with the plate attached.

I actually looked at doing that, but I couldn't figure out how to get the covers off so I could access the hinges, the door appeared to be in the way.
If I run into this again I'll check harder now that I know it is possible.

[qbert69]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

I had one machine that had this problem...I had to take off the door, remove the plastic cover for the waste toner mechanism and remove the hinge pin on the right side for the cover!...come to find out, one of the drum shafts was protruding out beyond the plastic cover which created a gap for the drum lock wire to get caught BEHIND the bearing on the end of the drum shaft!!!

EVERY TIME NOW...I make it a habit to visually check the drum end points to see that there is NO GAP between the bearing and the front plastic cover of the PCU drum unit section!!!...DOH!...I wasted a ridiculous amount of time on that one machine trying to figure it out!...but when I did, that machine got a new pcu for that color!!!

[Gift]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

Yeah I recall it was definetly not cool to deal with a stucked PCU/Engine cover

[tufbnme]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

Been there, done that. Don't do it on any of the machines that use that sort of PCU.

[Herostrat]

Re: Something NOT to do on a AFICIO MP C 4000

I once forgot to put back that screw on drum axis,one that holds that white drum drive gear in the back (doing that only when rebuilding PCU)
That makes inner front cower lock the bearing at the front of PCU and it won't let go...when you try to open the cower,axis goes with the cower...and yes I had audience all around me.
Had to use "Oh look it's snowing in the middle of june!" distraction tactics.