Ricoh SP100SFe - won't pickup paper. Solenoid seems fine. Not sure what is going on.
Perhaps someone has even seen this problem and can give me some direction.
Keep in mind this is the first Ricoh I've ever worked on and have no documentation for it. It is, as in the title, a Ricoh SP100SFe.
It came in because it was jamming. I took it apart and found that there was a thin metal shield of sorts above the pickup roller. It's all bent and mangled, and I can't see what it is even for.. It looks like it should attach to plastic, so I don't think it for earthing? Anyway, I removed this thing (it's mangled so badly I can't even really get it back in without it coming off and causing jams again)
Anyway, now that the paper path is clear I can get some prints out... for a while, or very intermittently... I keep getting "Misfeed Std Tray: Out of Paper" even though there is paper. From what I can see, there is no paper tray sensor. It seems like it first picks up the page (or attempts to) and if it doesn't reach the sensor in time it throws out the "Out of Paper"...
So the real problem comes in here: It sometimes just doesn't pickup paper. It doesn't look like it's even trying. When I test it with the solenoid out of the machine the solenoid acts as expected. When I have the machine apart, and 'manually activate' the solenoid, it works as expected. That is to say: The solenoid is not faulty, and it would seem that the pickup actuator works normally - there doesn't appear to be anything that would stop the solenoid from working - and there doesn't appear to be anything stopping the pickup from driving if the solenoid kicks in.... yet... of course, it will work once, maybe even 10 times, and give up. Stops picking up... SOMETHING must be preventing the solenoid or actuator from moving correctly... but I can't seem to find what it is.
It's very difficult to see while the machine is on, because the solenoid is hidden behind 2 boards and a load of ribbons and cables, but it all looks normal when I take it apart and operate the mechanisms manually...
If anyone has experienced this or maybe I'm overlooking something stupid/obvious, your help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone knows what that thin shield thing that goes over the wheel is? What it's actually for? I don't THINK it would cause this problem, but hey, I'm running out of ideas.
p.s. I posted this to Service Manual requests first, but on the chance that someone here is able to help with a manual or at least parts catalog, I'd be very appreciative and can offer Toshiba docs in return.
Keep in mind this is the first Ricoh I've ever worked on and have no documentation for it. It is, as in the title, a Ricoh SP100SFe.
It came in because it was jamming. I took it apart and found that there was a thin metal shield of sorts above the pickup roller. It's all bent and mangled, and I can't see what it is even for.. It looks like it should attach to plastic, so I don't think it for earthing? Anyway, I removed this thing (it's mangled so badly I can't even really get it back in without it coming off and causing jams again)
Anyway, now that the paper path is clear I can get some prints out... for a while, or very intermittently... I keep getting "Misfeed Std Tray: Out of Paper" even though there is paper. From what I can see, there is no paper tray sensor. It seems like it first picks up the page (or attempts to) and if it doesn't reach the sensor in time it throws out the "Out of Paper"...
So the real problem comes in here: It sometimes just doesn't pickup paper. It doesn't look like it's even trying. When I test it with the solenoid out of the machine the solenoid acts as expected. When I have the machine apart, and 'manually activate' the solenoid, it works as expected. That is to say: The solenoid is not faulty, and it would seem that the pickup actuator works normally - there doesn't appear to be anything that would stop the solenoid from working - and there doesn't appear to be anything stopping the pickup from driving if the solenoid kicks in.... yet... of course, it will work once, maybe even 10 times, and give up. Stops picking up... SOMETHING must be preventing the solenoid or actuator from moving correctly... but I can't seem to find what it is.
It's very difficult to see while the machine is on, because the solenoid is hidden behind 2 boards and a load of ribbons and cables, but it all looks normal when I take it apart and operate the mechanisms manually...
If anyone has experienced this or maybe I'm overlooking something stupid/obvious, your help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone knows what that thin shield thing that goes over the wheel is? What it's actually for? I don't THINK it would cause this problem, but hey, I'm running out of ideas.
p.s. I posted this to Service Manual requests first, but on the chance that someone here is able to help with a manual or at least parts catalog, I'd be very appreciative and can offer Toshiba docs in return.