3245C keeps asking for black toner

[Rick]

This unit keeps asking for toner and if anything its actually overtoning .The dev unit is covered in toner . I even tried a new dev unit and a new drum unit .I cleaned the patch sensors and still no go. Any ideas ?

[BigRed]

it is probably the toner pump which discharges waste toner and also sends new toner, or one of the tubes on waste toner is plugged. Put a new toner waste cannister in and see if anything is getting to it.

[Dexor]

I had a one big nightmare with this, but the machine was actually undertoned on black only. I've changed the pump, vacuumed the hoses, changed the toner hopper, cleaned contacts between dev and machine, changed toner, changed dev units - nothing seemed to work. I noticed machine was making a whining noise but only @ start up. This was getting louder at times; I swapped the drums between the units - and got my toner @ black dev fine.
Does anyone have any explanation for this?....

[Rick]

Maybe the drum ground which is a pin that sticks into the centre of the drum was not making proper connection. I bought some conductive grease and have applied this to the contacts in the center of the drums on some of my machines and I dont know if this is the fix but my calls have gone way down and everything seems to be working well lately . [I better touch some wood for good luck ].

[Dexor]

Maybe the drum ground which is a pin that sticks into the centre of the drum was not making proper connection. I bought some conductive grease and have applied this to the contacts in the center of the drums on some of my machines and I dont know if this is the fix but my calls have gone way down and everything seems to be working well lately . [I better touch some wood for good luck ].

thanks Rick, this makes sense, I'd better load up on conductive grease.

[Dexor]

After a few thousand copies on black - the problem returned. 'Add toner' bk displayed. Vacuuming, changing hopper, the pump - nothing seems to work. I applied some conductive grease to the pins inside the drum - no help here, either. Checked the values - ok, tried to add toner manually - no go. I'm going to look for some nice high cliff in the hood and just throw those 32xx series machines, they are such dogs!

[Jomama46]

Replace the black dev clutch, if it isnt turning it can't detect toner. This would also account for the overtoned look/

[daveyball]

I agree change the black dev clutch, I usually change them all, if I get this fault

[CrapAimer]

Black dev clutch, also had to replace pump assembly as well on one

[Dexor]

Black dev clutch, also had to replace pump assembly as well on one

Replaced the clutch - no change. I'm totally lost @ solutions. Sulphuric acid would be a good idea.. What else could it be?

[veli]

From service manual:


----------------------------------------------------------
Toner End Recovery

The machine assumes that the toner cartridge has been replaced if either of the
following occurs when the near-end or end status exists:

• The upper right cover is opened and closed.
• The main switch is turned off and on.

Then the machine starts to supply toner to the development unit. After supplying
toner, the machine clears the toner near-end or end status if the following
conditions are detected:

• Vt [0] - Vt [3] > 0.5V
• Vt - Vref > 0.3V

----------------------------------------------------------

Some of these conditions not meet required result. So one or more parameters in equation have to be wrong. Which parameter is it?

[Rick]

Well if you replaced clutch,drum unit,dev unit. then maybee you have an obstruction in the toner tube .Remove the drum units and dev units so you can access the end of the toner tube inside the middle of the machine . Now remove the black toner cartridge and stick your vacuum hose in the
toner tube. stick your finger into the centre of the machine and feel if there is air movement . This should be easy to tell. if so just let the vacuum run for a while to clear out any chunks of toner if there are any. Now do the opposite. Replace the toner into the machine and put the vacuum hose inside the machine on the tube end and draw the toner all the way through the tube . You will see some toner coming out when its primed.Now reinstall the toner tube back into the pump and see if this works.

[Dexor]

Well if you replaced clutch,drum unit,dev unit. then maybee you have an obstruction in the toner tube .Remove the drum units and dev units so you can access the end of the toner tube inside the middle of the machine . Now remove the black toner cartridge and stick your vacuum hose in the
toner tube. stick your finger into the centre of the machine and feel if there is air movement . This should be easy to tell. if so just let the vacuum run for a while to clear out any chunks of toner if there are any. Now do the opposite. Replace the toner into the machine and put the vacuum hose inside the machine on the tube end and draw the t7oner all the way through the tube . You will see some toner coming out when its primed.Now reinstall the toner tube back into the pump and see if this works.

Been there, there is nice sucking action using vac. One thing remaining is toner atractio pump, it has clutch that is likey failed. Royal pain to replace

[Rick]

I have done that before also and I dread doing it. I took the toner pump apart and cleaned it . That was a year age and its still going strong.

[Dexor]

Thx

It turned out to be the toner attraction pump. Did it without removing the laser unit.
Thanks everyone for the input