HP p3005 Jamming at Fuser

[dberisford]

Ok, Folks, Here is the deal. This is a continuation printer from the HP 2400/20/30. The printer has alot of changes from them but the premise is basically the same. The paper path is the same. Now, I am pretty experienced with this model but I have a jamming issue I just cannot figure out. I have visited this customers site many times for the same issue. I now have the printer in my possession to fix. It has 4000 pages printed to date.
A page will feed past the toner and fold at the fuser. I changed the fuser twice. Another tech went out over the holidays to fix and ordered an engine board. I replaced. Didn't change. I can physically see the fuser turning. 90% of the time the page goes 1 inch into the fuser and doesn't hit the fuser sensor. It is very strange. I have taken the covers off and watched the gears turn. I basically eliminated everything I can think of as the cause. I've even had other techs look at it. When the page feeds, it sounds like it hits the top of the fuser before it gets IN the fuser rollers. It's a crazy notion that this is happening. If anyone can help that would be great. I know there are some smart dudes and dudettes out there!

Atlanta, GA. Tech

[blackcat4866]

I run into a few HPs now & again, but I've not seen this. With a short little paper path like the 3005 has, there are probably two paper sensors, registration and exit. Of course you can't actually see any part of the paper path while its running (that would be too easy). If it only has 4k prints you can rule out excessive wear on any part of it.

I think that I would start out by checking the two paper sensors. First I'd make sure that the actuator returns sharply, and that there isn't any contaminant (dust/toner).

It sounds as though you've ruled out the drive as a problem.

Next, I guess I'd disassemble the registration area to make sure there aren't any annoying little bits of paper obstructing the paper path, or labels stuck to the guides & rollers.

Next, I'd run my fingers over the various parts of the paper path looking for rough spots that might snag up a piece of paper. Often toner buildup on the upper or lower fuser inlet guide can do this. I doubt that there is much buildup on you're new fuser though.

Next, I think I'd turn the drive by hand to see each section rotate. You can't actually watch the paper movement while its running, but you can roll a piece of paper through and watch its movement.

Have you noticed if the unfused image is mis-registered, blurred or distorted in any way? This could provide a vital clue as to when the paper stalls in its movement. A blurr ~5" from the lead edge would indicate that the blur was directly under the drum at the moment the paper stalled, and the leading edge was just entering the fuser. You can then lay the paper in that place to see what exactly it hit.

I know this wasn't exactly what you were looking for. You want "Replace the -----!" Well, the tough ones are never that easy. Let us know what you discover.

[Copier_Guy]

Yes, that sounds like a really hard nut to crack. What kind of Print Cartridge is being used in the printer? Have you had a chance to use a different type if it's a compatible?

If you say the lead edge is hitting the top of the fuser inlet before entering the nip, then you may have a slow down or skipping issue with the print cartridge drive.

It may also be a drag coming from the transfer roller or something in that area. Is the problem constant or intermittant? From what you described, there is something slowing down the paper at the transfer area or before that would make the lead edge jump up in the air and hit the upper fuser inlet.

Something working against the positive drive of the print cartridge. Lot's of questions, but one may lead to the amswer.

Good Luck and let us know what happens.

[dberisford]

Thanks!

Looks like I have some work to do tomorrow to answer some of those questions. I had the covers off and can't see shiznit as far as paper path nicks. I can pull the page and tell that the leading edge isn't nicked or anything. I am leaning toward the registration sensor though. It seems to maybe start to "cool its jets" at the toner and may be folding (actually waving) because the engine or motors just can't stop fast enough. On the other hand the jam code is 13.5 which suggests fuser sensor! Whew! The bad thing is I am officially licensed and certified by HP on this machine! LOL...
Wish me luck Thanks for the replies! I'll post a resolution if I ever get it!

[dberisford]

done

So, the printer is working now. I decided HP tech support were mohrons so I took the entire printer apart. Engine brd, formatter, covers, laser, reg assy... I found nothing wrong. All plugs were good, sensors in their places, voltages testing good. I put everything back together and the printer was FIXED!!!! Thats now the second time in my 10 year career that happened! I printed 500 pages on the paper path test and it did em all! I can't explain it. it just works. Beautiful.
The one thing I noticed is that the printer would display a 13.05 jam when it wasn't working. I noticed on the error log after it started working that it was accompanied by a 13.20 jam code that was never displayed to me. In fact, they shared the same page count on error. I am thinking this was the registration sensor or top of page sensor not detecting the paper. The printer has a whole new mood now. Anyway, Now i have to figure out why it wants to print infinite pages of the configuration each time. menu map does 1 copy, config does endless copies. Setting at 1 copy. I say lets default setting this crap!!!
I'm going to have a drink now! LOL

[blackcat4866]

It's a case of 'FM'.

I've had a few dozen of these in my career. I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, exploratory surgery. I saw nothing significant. Then it worked perfectly afterwards.

The explaination I have given customers on these occasions is that just by being careful in re-assembly I must have re-seated that critical connector. 'FM'

I'd do a cold start to see if that resolves your infinite # configuration pages. If it is a network printer you may also decide to reset the NIC. After all, it always prints a NIC page after the configuration.

Thanks for posting back, by the way. I really do want to know how it turns out. I hope I can learn someone from everyone here.

[dberisford]

BS

I have a BS in BS. My BS degree if you will...

[dberisford]

guess what

Problem is back. I have the flu but i was notified the jamming continues. Stupid p3005's.

[Copier_Guy]

Wow!

Sounds like the machine from hell. You reseating all the boards may have fixed your problem. I've noticed, especially on IBM/Lexmark printers, that after they get a little age or use on them, they start to act erratically due to bad connections on the boards. It goes the same for HP printers from my experience. Just not as much. Reseating the boards has fixed many a problem for me. I'm talking real strange stuff.

Any how, you may want to try that again, but this time clean the contacts on the boards with alcohol before you go get that drink.

I hope that helps. Good luck and keep us posted.

[SJUSDtech]

Did you ever get this figured out. I have the same problem. I such a pain, it will jam every 4 or 5 pages. about 1 inch into the fuser. leading edge is fine, no snags. I tried everything mentioned above, still no love

a little help would be awesome.

thanks,

Eric

[dberisford]

Never Did

I never did figure it out but you do have the exact same problem I did it sounds like. I changed the Engine Board and got about 400 pages out of it then it quit again with same symptoms. It is most likely a combination of 2 or more parts but I wasn't lucky enough to get that working combination.

Sorry.
Daniel... Tech

[sdcparts]

I had the same exact problem. Remove the fuser assembly and lubricate the idler arm assembly located at the top left WITH SILICON BASED OIL. For some reason, the grease HP uses tends to get tacky and doesn't allow the arm to swing into position enough to engage the fuser for high speed. When you reassemble, watch the fuser assembly. It should start at a lesser speed, kick into high speed, then drop back down. When you queue a print, you should notice that it turn at low speed for a couple of seconds, then when the gear engages, it goes to a higher speed for your print job. Hope this helps. It seemed to do the trick for me.

[dberisford]

Nice Dude!

Great Tip. If I run into another I will try that. Great work.

Daniel... Tech

[SJUSDtech]

ok,
so I tried what you said and it didn't seem to work. the idler arm is still not engaging correctly. I can hear the gear miss, and i can also tell that it didn't engage because the exit rollers\assembly will not turn.

I spent the afternoon taking the printer apart to inspect the gears. all the gears are fine, all the teeth are intact. I removed the drive motor and everything worked fine when i would free spin the gears. the idler arm would engage very easily. I also cleaned up the gears a little and applyed some silicon lube. still having the problem although it did get a little better .

what else could it be? is it the drive motor going out, not enough torque to engage at high speed?

thanks again

[RHBlakeman]

Has anyone with an AFU M3035 or P3005 changed the fuser drive motor for the problem of the paper stopping just before the fuser sensor? I have a M3035 torn down to the frame, inspected the gears and worked them by hand with the fuser installed (face down assy out for visual clearance, what a PITA to get down to that point) and all works well without any binding, skipping of teeth, etc and I have already changed the lower 4 drive gears due to grinding and regreased the fuser film as it was tight from dried grease. Doing a lot of research in the manual (no help) and various threads like this it seems the unit has 2 motors, main and fuser. Main drives the paper pickup and gearing to the toner and transfer roller and then the fuser motor in the upper right rear behind the ECM takes over for fuser, duplex and face down outfeed operation. It's a 2 speed reversable motor RK2-1489 and even with HP's ridiculous pricing it's list at $25.00 and seems the most logical culprit - and the one thing I have yet to hear of anyone replacing.

BTW the pendulum arm with gear behind and small gear on the end is for duplexing and on this one always engages fine. The small gear goes to the 2 gears to the rear of the printer in normal printing direction, switches to the two gears toward the front of the printer for duplexing.

I'll be ordering one tomorrow, probably new from Liberty Parts Team (Colleen always fixes me up), and once it gets here I'll be replacing it. I was given 4 M3035's from a new client that has probably 20 of these both legal and letter scanner types, and all 4 were grinding due to the worn gears where I regreased the fusers, replaced both pressure roller bushings and replaced the 0956/0957/0958/0959 gears and 3 of them work like new but this one stops as mentioned, just before the fuser exit sensor.

Once I get the motor replaced I'll post what I find.