Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

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  • fearworksmedia
    Junior Member
    • Oct 2017
    • 7

    Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

    Hi all,

    This is my first post here. I have searched and searched for an answer to my exact issue but everyone seems to experience different streaks to me, so here goes...

    I have two Ricoh machines, an MPC2000 and an MPC2500. I run and service them myself as best I can. I have had entire units apart to rebuild them and learn how they work, so not afraid if that's what I need to do again.

    I am finding that my colour prints (not copies, nothing to do with scanner) will print the first 6 or 7 copies nicely, and then I start to keep annoying streaks appearing on subsequent prints. The streaks are usually near the extreme left and right edges of the paper path. They are sometimes clearly made of one colour, or two colours mixed, other times they look black but upon close inspection they are made of the different colours on top of each other. If I stop printing, wait until the printer has finished its cycling and then start again, I get good prints for the first 6 or 7, and the streaks start to appear again.

    I have cleaned and cleaned everything. The charge rollers are not getting dirty. The PCUs do not have any obvious banding around them which would be causing this. The transfer belts on both machines don't have any major scuffs, scratches or abrasions that I would expect to cause a problem. I just cannot get to the bottom of it. I see different colours forming the streaks at different times, but in the same place. It's not that I get a random streak of cyan in one area, then another streak of magenta, etc. The streaks appear in the same areas and patterns and the different colours will seemingly "adhere" to the same streaky lines once they start to appear.

    I am fed up of it It happens on both my machines, so surely it must be happening to others as well, or at least someone must recognise it. I print quite a bit of high coverage stuff but the PCU blades seem to be doing their job, and there are no nicks or cuts or build-up areas on any of the PCU or or ITB cleaning unit blades. They aren't brand new, but they seem to be in good condition. All lube wax bars are present and none are exhausted. There is not a build-up of waste toner in any of the drum reservoirs.

    All the developers seem to be fine and if it was a developer issue, I don't see how the streaks would appear composed of the different colours and always in the same places.

    The transfer roller seems to pick up the lines of streaks, presumably as they are forming on the ITB and transferring during the gaps between sheets.

    Strangely I don't seem to get the problem at all when I print black and white documents.

    I really hope someone will see my photos and recognise what is happening so that I can replace whatever needs replacing. I don't see anything in the service manual or Goose's Guide or anywhere else that is my exact streak problem... Please help!!

    IMG_20181123_214653.jpgIMG_20181123_221214.jpgIMG_20181123_221305.jpgIMG_20181123_221836.jpgIMG_20181123_221852.jpgIMG_20181123_221345.jpgIMG_20181123_221357.jpg
  • NeoMatrix
    Senior Tech.

    2,500+ Posts
    • Nov 2010
    • 3514

    #2
    Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

    Charge rollers in the PCUs...
    Inauguration to the "AI cancel-culture" fraternity 1997...
    •••••• •••[§]• |N | € | o | M | Δ | t | π | ¡ | x | •[§]••• ••••••

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    • NeoMatrix
      Senior Tech.

      2,500+ Posts
      • Nov 2010
      • 3514

      #3
      Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

      How to search CTN.

      Type the below into google:

      site:wwww.copytechnet.com MPC charge roller
      Inauguration to the "AI cancel-culture" fraternity 1997...
      •••••• •••[§]• |N | € | o | M | Δ | t | π | ¡ | x | •[§]••• ••••••

      Comment

      • fearworksmedia
        Junior Member
        • Oct 2017
        • 7

        #4
        Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

        Originally posted by NeoMatrix
        Charge rollers in the PCUs...
        Not the charge rollers, as I said they are clean and always stay very clean. I have cleaned them and changed them anyway. They pick nothing up, no toner, no rings or streaks around them.

        That wouldn't explain why different colours form streaks in the same place... if it was the charge rollers I would see lines of individual colours wouldn't I?

        Thanks for your help though

        Comment

        • NeoMatrix
          Senior Tech.

          2,500+ Posts
          • Nov 2010
          • 3514

          #5
          Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

          I'm on the run doing other things ATM....

          Do the bands enlarge and reduce in size when copying zoom/reducing ?
          Inauguration to the "AI cancel-culture" fraternity 1997...
          •••••• •••[§]• |N | € | o | M | Δ | t | π | ¡ | x | •[§]••• ••••••

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          • fearworksmedia
            Junior Member
            • Oct 2017
            • 7

            #6
            Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

            Originally posted by NeoMatrix
            I'm on the run doing other things ATM....

            Do the bands enlarge and reduce in size when copying zoom/reducing ?
            No, I rarely copy and mostly print.

            Comment

            • NeoMatrix
              Senior Tech.

              2,500+ Posts
              • Nov 2010
              • 3514

              #7
              Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

              You've used the cleaning wand to clean all the slit glasses.
              Your drums are current.
              OEM toner.

              You've done a proper colour calibration (music sensors)...
              Inauguration to the "AI cancel-culture" fraternity 1997...
              •••••• •••[§]• |N | € | o | M | Δ | t | π | ¡ | x | •[§]••• ••••••

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              • fearworksmedia
                Junior Member
                • Oct 2017
                • 7

                #8
                Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                Originally posted by NeoMatrix
                You've used the cleaning wand to clean all the slit glasses.
                Your drums are current.
                OEM toner.

                You've done a proper colour calibration (music sensors)...
                Yes to all except the drums.

                Comment

                • tufbnme
                  Trusted Tech

                  250+ Posts
                  • Feb 2008
                  • 493

                  #9
                  Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                  I would suspect the PCUs as well. The drum cleaning blade may be worn enough to let toner by. How many pages are on them?

                  Comment

                  • fearworksmedia
                    Junior Member
                    • Oct 2017
                    • 7

                    #10
                    Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                    Originally posted by tufbnme
                    I would suspect the PCUs as well. The drum cleaning blade may be worn enough to let toner by. How many pages are on them?
                    I don't know the pages I'm afraid.

                    Do you think the blades would show any signs of this on inspection? I have never found even a nick on any of them but will entertain any suggestions that I am not certain about

                    The belt is at about half it's life. Do you think it or the cleaning unit could be the cause, or would it have to come from the PCUs? I'm just not convinced... those black streaks are actually magenta cyan and sometimes a bit of yellow mixed. Why would streaks from individual PCUs fall in the same place on top of each other so perfectly like that?

                    Comment

                    • skinnyb
                      Trusted Tech

                      250+ Posts
                      • Jul 2008
                      • 291

                      #11
                      Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                      Seen it more times than I care to count on this model and all the subsequent ones to follow (ie 5000, 4501,4502 etc). Change the itb cleaning unit. It may look fine but it isn't cleaning good and let's excess toner by (usually the brush fails, not the blade). I usually see wierd patterns and it's left overs of the MUSIC sensor hash patterns.

                      Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

                      Comment

                      • fearworksmedia
                        Junior Member
                        • Oct 2017
                        • 7

                        #12
                        Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                        Originally posted by skinnyb
                        Seen it more times than I care to count on this model and all the subsequent ones to follow (ie 5000, 4501,4502 etc). Change the itb cleaning unit. It may look fine but it isn't cleaning good and let's excess toner by (usually the brush fails, not the blade). I usually see wierd patterns and it's left overs of the MUSIC sensor hash patterns.

                        Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
                        Thanks for your suggestions!

                        Do you mean you've seen the streaks? And have you seen them happen after the first few copies have been clean and then get worse until the job is stopped and started again?

                        I also sometimes get the leftovers of the sensor patterns appearing on the first copy. Can I ask, what aspect of the brush "fails"? Do you mean it loses the length of the "fluff" and no longer makes good contact, or do you mean it needs a clean? Or something else? I have two spare cleaning units - they're not new but I'd be eager to try hacking whatever to do a "trial" and see if I notice a difference. I'll also look out to see if the streaks disappear/move position.

                        I will report back soon - but if anyone else wants to chip in that would be very much appreciated!

                        Comment

                        • slimslob
                          Retired

                          Site Contributor
                          25,000+ Posts
                          • May 2013
                          • 35058

                          #13
                          Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                          Originally posted by fearworksmedia
                          And have you seen them happen after the first few copies have been clean and then get worse until the job is stopped and started again?

                          I also sometimes get the leftovers of the sensor patterns appearing on the first copy.
                          Both standard symptoms of an ITB cleaning unit that is far past where it should have been. The idea of PM servicing is Preventive Maintenance. You replace items before you start having trouble, not after. When you replace a PM item be sure to reset the counter.

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                          • Zaxxon
                            Senior Tech

                            500+ Posts
                            • Jan 2014
                            • 608

                            #14
                            Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                            Originally posted by skinnyb
                            Seen it more times than I care to count on this model and all the subsequent ones to follow (ie 5000, 4501,4502 etc). Change the itb cleaning unit. It may look fine but it isn't cleaning good and let's excess toner by (usually the brush fails, not the blade). I usually see wierd patterns and it's left overs of the MUSIC sensor hash patterns.

                            Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk
                            Yep, gets my vote too
                            Please start you post with brand, model, problem.

                            Comment

                            • skinnyb
                              Trusted Tech

                              250+ Posts
                              • Jul 2008
                              • 291

                              #15
                              Re: Ricoh MPC2000/MPC2500 streaks on prints driving me crazy!

                              Originally posted by fearworksmedia
                              Thanks for your suggestions!

                              Do you mean you've seen the streaks? And have you seen them happen after the first few copies have been clean and then get worse until the job is stopped and started again?

                              I also sometimes get the leftovers of the sensor patterns appearing on the first copy. Can I ask, what aspect of the brush "fails"? Do you mean it loses the length of the "fluff" and no longer makes good contact, or do you mean it needs a clean? Or something else? I have two spare cleaning units - they're not new but I'd be eager to try hacking whatever to do a "trial" and see if I notice a difference. I'll also look out to see if the streaks disappear/move position.

                              I will report back soon - but if anyone else wants to chip in that would be very much appreciated!
                              Yes, seen the streaks. It typically goes away after a few prints when the unit first starts to fail. Not sure about rebuilding the unit or even using a used one, I just carry a new unit in the truck and swap it out. I carry the one for the 4501 (D0896022) and it fits all them except the older 3000/3500 but can be modified to fit in a pinch.

                              Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

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