HP LJ 4200 intermittent misfeed

[JimBeam]

Very intermittent misfeed at the fuser. The printer exhibits a perpetual, high pitched, low volume grinding noise. It will not misfeed if the rear output bin is open, according to the operator. The customer has ANOTHER 4200 that misfeeds intermittently, but does not exhibit the high pitched, low volume grinding noise, perpetually. This other 4200 exhibits this same noise only upon misfeeding, no matter what position the rear output bin is in. Strange! The first printer has 44,121 prints and the second only has 33,285. The paper is 20#. Any advice on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

[CanonHPTech]

Ok sir. Lets start with the easy one. Sometimes the Fuser Locking Tabs (Blue) break, causing intermitten jams in that area and cause the Fuser to not sit correctly with drive gears which can cause a grinding noise. Should be easy to see, might have to remove rear delivery tray, usually only one breaks. HP will not sell you one, but I believe other vendors like HP LaserJet Printers & Accessories - Genuine HP Parts & Fusers, LaserJet Repair Kits - The Printer Works! will. Now for the tougher one. Swing Plate assy. P/N: RM1-0043. First remove the Fuser from unit and check that 40T Gear on side is ok. If not, it is p/n: RU6-0016-000cn, however don't think HP will sell, try www.partsmart-corp.com. Then verify that the gear that hangs down in the unit that meshs with this gear is not swinging correctly, or that the gears are not broken or abnormally worn. If the unit has the new/updated Swing Plate Assy., the Gear should have kind of a built in washer of sorts on the one side of teeth. This washer stops the gears from slipping and causes them to mesh better. Now, if you believe that it is the swing plate, to replace it fully and test, 1 to 2 hour job if you never done it before (assuming all goes well). Other wise, buy the assy., remove the new updated gear from it and install it only in the old swing plate without removing it. Or I believe you can order it from www.partsmart-corp.com, p/n: is RU5-0277. This gear is the only real part the becomes worn. For good directions, check out Liberty Parts Team website: http://www.libertypartsteam.com/swing_plate.html or for the recomended way to replace entire assy., go to Parts Now's website and look through their newsletter for instrucitons: http://www.partsnow.com/service_today/ST0106.pdf

Trust me from experience, I have done it both ways, and just replacing the gear makes you and your customer happy. Good luck sir, let me know how it works out.

[JimBeam]

HP LJ 4200 intermittent misfeed

Thank you ever so much, CanonHPTech. I needed confirmation and affirmation. I've replaced those gears before and I took them from a swing plate assy purchased from Global Printer Services, but that printer made a loud clunking sound and didn't misfeed, so I was hesitant with my diagnosis. I will keep you updated. Thanks again.

[mjunkaged]

I've got a REAL weird noise! LJ4200

Okay, I've replaced swing gears/plates and shafts (when worn) so many times THAT's a given.
But, how about this? I've got a 4200 that makes a medium pitched 'bushing rattle' or 'gear on shaft' ratttle type noise, it's similar to what a muffin fan sounds like when the cheap brass bushing kraps out on it.
The weirdest part: customer claims it never made this noise until after I installed my maint. kit with fuser.
Just shy of a month, they call and tell me it's making this noise, but had been fine the whole month.
I drive up under my labor warranty (not fun) and investigate. It's gone by the time I get there, within an hour.
2nd time: I get to hear the noise! Sounds like it's coming from the fuser, side fan, or exit area. I lube a few exit bushings and check my fuser, and have them pay for the new swing gear but NOT labor. I know, I could have, but there's a doubt on my new customer's mind that MY fuser is CAUSING it, of course!! I've never heard a 4200 or any HP fuser make this noise! I tell them, try it out, if it comes back, let me know.
3 weeks later, 3rd call for NOISE! I promised them I'd swap out the fuser under warranty and installed it today.
While I'm there, I notice a rapid 'ticking' sound, about 2x a second, it only makes using trays 2 and 3, sounds fine out of the MP tray.
I removed the 3rd tray, lubed the bushings, and advised them to LEAVE tray 3 off until further notice. NOW we'll see. BTW, ticking WAS tray 3. And no jams.
ANYONE had anything THIS aggravating before on one of these?????
I'm all ears....okay, eyes!
Mitch
Rockinrepair.com

[mjunkaged]

OK, last one wasn't really a 'reply'...TECHS HATE NOISE CALLS!

I posted what I did just in case it's NOT your swing gear/plate that's the culprit.
Trays 2 and 3 have brass bushings on their prereg(feed) shafts, and as I stated in the last 'reply', muffin fans will also bite you in the arse at times, I've got one on a PC at home that glows in 3 colors but sounds horrible the first 2 minutes I turn it on.
Clutches(mag. AND spring) are bad that way, and I have had some 4000's that needed a new MP clutch to make the noise go away and was also intermittent/occasional in nature.
Also possible that the laser can make some horrible rattles, but if you've heard the 'laser unit death rattle' before, it's as unmistakable as the 'swing gear grind' noise. IMHO.
AS FAR AS JAMMING: follow the jam codes you're getting, you'd be surprised how many times it's NOT the last sheet or it's a board/sensor problem and possibly the noise is just an unhappy coincidence?
Mitch
If you can Identify the problem, then Isolate it, then you can INITIATE the repair (the 3 I's of master troubleshooting-but I'm still working on the 2nd one on mine! )
Rockinrepair.com

[mo0651]

when you print out the error report, what is the jam code? is it always the same?