"clumping noise" from 4200

[fixthecopier]

First of all I know how hard it can be to diagnose a noise in person, let alone over the net, but I thought I would try.

When running, there is a noise that comes from tray 2 that the customer describes as sounding like a horse clumping down the road. If you were to push down on the tray with paper in it and let up, over and over again, it would be a close comparison. The printer is next to the users desk, and this has never been an issue before. The strange thing is this. When a machine is running it gets a rhythm going. This one changes and is noticable. For the first 10 to 15 pages it is the same, then if printing a large job, it sounds almost like the speed is changing. I swapped out the pick up roller and the paper tray, but made no difference. It is not jamming. At this point the only other thing I can see it being is the feed assembly that the tray uses. I don't want to guess and buy one and not fix it. Logically I would thing a bad noise from that would make it jam.

Customer is one of our good ones, and it is an accountants office. They are worried it will go belly up in the middle of tax season. Have any of you had anything similar?

[Wild Bill]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

When the paper Feed Solenoid is Bad (RK2-0269) you will have a feed timing issue. I liken it to a burp. 4200 printer are older machines so I would at least inspect it. The foam on the plunger gets old and turns into glue. I am not sure what that clumping noise is but check this out cause its an extremely prevalent problem with these.

Another thought; If the paper tray is in a bind it may cause this as it lifts. Try without paper and see if the length guide is busted.

[fixthecopier]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

Thanks for responding. I swapped the tray out with one of mine and they said it seemed to work fine, so I ordered them a new one. When they called today, I had the new tray with me, so I swapped it again, and it didn't change. That's when the key op who wasn't there when I first swapped them, said that she had only been printing about 10 pages at a time. Now it's tax season and the jobs are 80+ pages. I swear it sounds like it changes speed at about 15 or 20 pages. I know that is impossible. There is a slight pause, then the rhythm is different, or the pause is throwing off my brain.

[blackcat4866]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

So are you getting the noise when printing from tray #1?

I think I'd concentrate my efforts on the swing plate, and the main drive. It's actually not that hard to get to, and if it's gear wear, the problem will be hard to miss. =^..^=

[fixthecopier]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

So are you getting the noise when printing from tray #1?

I think I'd concentrate my efforts on the swing plate, and the main drive. It's actually not that hard to get to, and if it's gear wear, the problem will be hard to miss. =^..^=

Tray one works fine, no noise. I think I will remove the side covers and run it naked. I am sure that will help me pin point it.

[fixthecopier]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

When the paper Feed Solenoid is Bad (RK2-0269) you will have a feed timing issue. I liken it to a burp.

I guess the slight pause could be considered a burp. Kind of funny when you put it that way.

[blackcat4866]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

I don't know that it will help you but I've heard a sound like this before.

I had disassembled the pickup and registration drive, and had re-assembled it incorrectly. It made a hell of a racket. There were a couple two-stage gears of a similar, but not quite the same size. When I reassembled it I had swapped the two gears. I couldn't tell you exactly which two gears.

My only constructive suggestion I can make is to pay better attention than I did when disassembling the pickup/registration drive. =^..^=

[fixthecopier]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

I don't know that it will help you but I've heard a sound like this before.

I had disassembled the pickup and registration drive, and had re-assembled it incorrectly. It made a hell of a racket. There were a couple two-stage gears of a similar, but not quite the same size. When I reassembled it I had swapped the two gears. I couldn't tell you exactly which two gears.

My only constructive suggestion I can make is to pay better attention than I did when disassembling the pickup/registration drive. =^..^=

I could see myself doing that, thanks for the heads up. If I were sitting there staring at the two of them, and having to guess which one, I would always guess wrong. That is why I don't gamble.

[Elmtech]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

May also want to look at the t2 lift motor and gears.it would explain the intermittent nature of the noise.

[NeoMatrix]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

How many pages on the machine?
If it changes speed it must be associated the main drive operation.
Sounds like the exit roller drive gears or maybe the fuser main drive gear jumping teeth ?

[fixthecopier]

Re: "clumping noise" from 4200

When the paper Feed Solenoid is Bad (RK2-0269) you will have a feed timing issue. I liken it to a burp. 4200 printer are older machines so I would at least inspect it. The foam on the plunger gets old and turns into glue. I am not sure what that clumping noise is but check this out cause its an extremely prevalent problem with these.

Another thought; If the paper tray is in a bind it may cause this as it lifts. Try without paper and see if the length guide is busted.

It was the solenoid. The customer called back to say it was now jamming. I pulled one off of a 4250 and swapped them out. When comparing the two, the old one was holding a little magnetic charge, causing the lever tho hesitate for a slight moment before snapping back, thus causing the out of time noise. When it stuck for too long, it made the "burp". With the covers on, the noise was funneled to the front, through the paper tray. I had changed them before for failing, but never had one sticky like that. Thanks for the response.