Need Help with MPC3500/4500

[Noj7373]

I have mostly MPC3500/4500 color machines in my area and I am have many problems with the machines that have high use. No matter what I do or replace the drums go bad, toner dumps really bad inside the maching, and the copy quality is light(Even after a developer change). I perform PM as listed in PM List and still cannot go more than 40K to 50k between calls and is usually less. This is killing my call back %. If some of you more experienced tech could give some help on a check list or things to look for on every EM that would be great.

Also how often do you replace the Intermediate transfer Belt on these Machines. And how many people are having problems with filing the corners off of the black drums to make into color drums.

[Noj7373]

I do the "New Unit Set" In SP when replaceing any PM parts, I have also done the TB for the lines that build up on the charge roller. I have noticed on some of these that after I change the developer and run the ACC the print quality is still light. I have checked VT and Vref but really dont understand this enough to go messing with things there. I have on some them done a memory reset and reprogram all the SP's, which did help for a while.

[msaeger]

How long does it take them to make 50K ? I just went to one of these they have had at least a year and it had 130K I had to put the first new drum in.

If they are doing high coverage it probably will make the drum life shorter. The drums are only supposed to go 80K anyway.

[fredsp]

I have mostly MPC3500/4500 color machines in my area and I am have many problems with the machines that have high use. No matter what I do or replace the drums go bad, toner dumps really bad inside the maching, and the copy quality is light(Even after a developer change). I perform PM as listed in PM List and still cannot go more than 40K to 50k between calls and is usually less. This is killing my call back %. If some of you more experienced tech could give some help on a check list or things to look for on every EM that would be great.

Also how often do you replace the Intermediate transfer Belt on these Machines. And how many people are having problems with filing the corners off of the black drums to make into color drums.

Ricoh is busy looking at the problem. This started happening when Ricoh changed the chargeroller on the new PCU units, so nothing is suitable for a solution at this point in time

[Cipher]

The biggest issue we seem to get on these models are the fusing units.
They can cause some weird and fairly intermitten jamming issues due to lumpy rotation / flat spots.
You will be lucky if they reach 160k, we tend to PM them around 100-120k mark.

And the ADFs are buggers for jamming too with paper dust gathering up very quickly around the top sensors and reg sensor underneath.

Can't say we get to many problems with the drum and dev units, they seem to reach or go past yield.
We change the ITB cleaning units at around 200k and the ITB belt and PTR roller at 400k.

[PinevskiS]

Can you send copy.I like to see CONFIGURATION PAGES.If the copy is light on middle centre, proble is LASER UNIT.

[tjvincent]

I have had several of these that were overtoning in the black dev unit , replacing only developer did not help , had to replace the entire Dev unit, which isn't that expensive by the way. They have a scheduled replacement at 320k anyway , but now when I see the overtoning issue I just replace the whole dev unit.

[Noj7373]

The whole image seems light, I have noticed on all of these that Vt is always above Vref. If I open and close the door to do a toner recovery it does not help. So I am going to try the Engine reset and reprogram the machine by hand.

On the toner dumping issue I have in many cases replaced the dev unit, but one perticular machine that is dumping toner badly only has about 45k on both color and black. But is also having a charge roller issue on Cyan that we have had to open an E-alert to the engineers in Japan. The Ricoh rep is coming in next week to take a look. I will keep you updated.

[zyqwiz]

Our machines pretty much run to the correct PM intervals. Are you using genuine Ricoh toner?

[Noj7373]

Yes we are running OEM Toner, Pretty sure most of the customers I am having problems with are running a 45ppm machine like a 60 or 75ppm machine at 75% to 80% covarage. Damn sales people.

[pals80]

I have alot of the MPC3500. I change the fuser cleaning rollers regularly. Only ever had 1 fusing belt issue. No fuser roller problems yet. Clean ADF every service call( as previously mentioned, it gets alot of paper dust). The drums usually last anywhere from 70-130K copies. I have had problems with blue lines. ( 3 different customers) One went away by itself, another I replaced the DV then cleaned the charge roller) Seems the Cyan is getting overtoned?? Not sure what is causing your light copies, overall I think these are good machines. They hardly ever jam.