Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

[gringoboy6]

Hello,

I have a Samsung ClX-3170 and it is printing horizontal lines in yellow and black every other page. It is also printing text after the normal text that are faded almost like a shadow. The person that gave me the printer said he replaced the drum and waste cacther because Samsung told him that was the problem. I went ahead and cleaned the printers fuser, transfer unit, and drum. When i opened the printer their was yellow ink everywhere. When i took out the transfer unit their was a long line of yellow and black ink on it same as the drum. When i took everything apart and cleaned them there was a lot of yellow and black ink inside the units as well. I ordered a new yellow cartridge put it in and the problem is still there.

Do you guys have any idea what could be causing this?

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

bump

[blackcat4866]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Are those lines about 0.5mm apart, and typically in all four colors, then repeats again at 187mm increments?

Most likely the drum is scratched. A drum of any age can get scratched .. especially by an enduser. =^..^=

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

No it is just one line and is big it goes across the whole page and is about 0.5 inch thick. The only two colors i have seen are yellow and black. When i took the drum out and transfer unit their were two big lines on them going from one side to the other.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Can you be more specific about these lines?

Horizonal means ... what? Is it in the feed direction or the crossfeed direction?
The lines are 0.5 inch thick? I can't imagine how the paper would pass. Do you mean 1/2 inch wide?

Are these OEM toner cartridges or generic? I've seen whole cases of defective generic toner cartridges.
Please try to be more specific. =^..^=

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Yes they are all oem and i just put a new black and yellow one in after cleaning everything.

The first scan is the line and the second scan is the faded text.

Usually the line is more "wider"(not thick lol) and solid not so spread out

[blackcat4866]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

In your first sample the color of your line (crossfeed) is 0%/10%/7%/41% CMYK per Colorpic. That tells me it's either drum waste or primary transfer waste.

In your second sample you can clearly see the text from the first part of the image reprinting further down the page. It could be transfer waste ... but I suspect that it's drum cleaning because the color of the reprinted images is 0%/0%/0%/27% CMYK (black only).

Most likely the drum waste auger is backed up, maybe because the waste bottle is full. You'll need to vacuum out the waste auger and bottle, and not with a shop vac. You should also check/vacuum the transfer belt cleaning unit. You may need to clean and re-prime the drum blade and transfer cleaning blade. =^..^=

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Is the waste auger the part that has the color destination on the front and where the waste ink goes? If so it is empty. I opened the drum up and transfer unit and the cleaning blades on each one. I even rolled them a couple of times by hand to make sure no more ink was in them. When I printed up pages after cleaning it looks like the ink is probably back on them. What could cause the ink to build up on the drum and transfer unit? When i first opened the printer to clean it it looked like a yellow grenade blew up inside from the front and back by the fuser as well.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Is the waste auger the part that has the color destination on the front and where the waste ink goes? If so it is empty.

I think you answered your own question. The bottle that receives the waste toner is the destination. The auger is how it gets there.

I opened the drum up and transfer unit and the cleaning blades on each one. I even rolled them a couple of times by hand to make sure no more ink was in them.

Sorry, it offends me when you call it ink. Call it toner. Ink is wet, toner is dry.

Did you actually see the auger, and does it turn when driven?

When I printed up pages after cleaning it looks like the ink is probably back on them.

Please elaborate. I don't know what that means.

What could cause the ink to build up on the drum and transfer unit? When i first opened the printer to clean it it looked like a yellow grenade blew up inside from the front and back by the fuser as well.

Not ink, toner would collect in the drum cleaning unit and/or the primary transfer unit and overflow if the auger were not turning, or were blocked with rocks of hardened toner. If you're having trouble understanding this it's time to call a technician. =^..^=

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

I think you answered your own question. The bottle that receives the waste toner is the destination. The auger is how it gets there.

Okay i understand what you are talking about when i cleaned the transfer unit i took that piece out and their was some black cotton like toner in there. I cleaned it all out and blew out the auger

Sorry, it offends me when you call it ink. Call it toner. Ink is wet, toner is dry.

Sorry im a newbie

Did you actually see the auger, and does it turn when driven?

It does turn.


Please elaborate. I don't know what that means.

After I did all the cleaning i stated it is having the same problems. I attached pictures.

Not ink, toner would collect in the drum cleaning unit and/or the primary transfer unit and overflow if the auger were not turning, or were blocked with rocks of hardened toner. If you're having trouble understanding this it's time to call a technician. =^..^=

The augur is turning and toner is going into the waste and i cleared it out when i cleaned it.

I am posting two more pictures one of the transfer unit with toner on it and one of the yellow toner cartridge.

I understand if i have to call a tech but im broke and a friend gave this to me for free. I am good at fixing things but this is a first time with a printer. This post was my last resort after researching on my own and trying out troubleshooting solutions first.
image1.jpgimage2.jpg

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

So any Idea what could be causing all this? The samsung reps solutions were a joke and did not solve anything. They only told me to turn it into a service tech.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

If you didn't read this part, this is the answer:

Not ink, toner would collect in the drum cleaning unit and/or the primary transfer unit and overflow if the auger were not turning, or were blocked with rocks of hardened toner. If you're having trouble understanding this it's time to call a technician. =^..^=

If you don't understand the words, call a technician.

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

If you didn't read this part, this is the answer:

Not ink, toner would collect in the drum cleaning unit and/or the primary transfer unit and overflow if the auger were not turning, or were blocked with rocks of hardened toner. If you're having trouble understanding this it's time to call a technician. =^..^=

If you don't understand the words, call a technician.

I read it and I responded by telling you I cleaned out the track on the unit itself and the channel going from the unit to the waste destination. After putting it all back in and replacing the black and yellow toner the problem was still there.I took it out after your response to make sure it was turning with the main gear and it was. One of the pictures that i posted showed on the yellow toner that the toner was being smeared off from one side of the cartridge to the other. Is that normal? I did not notice it on the other ones. The line on the toner cartridge was happening on the old one and the new one i just put in.

Thank you for your time helping me.

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

If you didn't read this part, this is the answer:

Not ink, toner would collect in the drum cleaning unit and/or the primary transfer unit and overflow if the auger were not turning, or were blocked with rocks of hardened toner. If you're having trouble understanding this it's time to call a technician. =^..^=

If you don't understand the words, call a technician.

Okay so i took out the Transfer unit again completely dismantled it made sure the auger gear was working from the main gear all the way to the shaft. There was toner all over the belt again like in the pic i think there is a problem with the cleaning part of the unit. I cleaned the rubber under the belt from one side all the way to the other. I used 70% alcohol i also let it run down the auger channel turned it while doing it completely cleaned it out. On the other side of the printer there is a roller on the bottom that touches the belt of the transfer unit. There were yellow horizontal stains on it so i used the alcohol and cleaned the roller as well. I looked at the drum and there was no toner on it.

How does the toner end up on the belt like that in lines? is that normal and something on it is suppose to clean it off? So far it seems like the transfer unit it self is broken but that is about 120 bucks.

[gringoboy6]

Re: Samsung CLX-3170 Horiztonal lines and ghost printing

Okay so i took out the Transfer unit again completely dismantled it made sure the auger gear was working from the main gear all the way to the shaft. There was toner all over the belt again like in the pic i think there is a problem with the cleaning part of the unit. I cleaned the rubber under the belt from one side all the way to the other. I used 70% alcohol i also let it run down the auger channel turned it while doing it completely cleaned it out. On the other side of the printer there is a roller on the bottom that touches the belt of the transfer unit. There were yellow horizontal stains on it so i used the alcohol and cleaned the roller as well. I looked at the drum and there was no toner on it.

How does the toner end up on the belt like that in lines? is that normal and something on it is suppose to clean it off? So far it seems like the transfer unit it self is broken but that is about 120 bucks.

bump?