Aficio MP C4500 Jams

**fhusnik** · 12-02-2021

I am looking at a copier for my small business (I do electronic repair). I have a chance to get the above referenced unit but it has a problem with jamming. The owner isn't exactly sure where. This has an (optional?) ADF thing that attaches to the side. It isn't clear if it is in the main copier or the ADF. He had a serviceman out to look at it, and was told it could be fixed, but not in 1 hour. Parts would have to be ordered, and it would take some repair time. Should I bother or walk away? I'm pretty good with repairs (of computers, audio equipment, cars...I am not sure about copiers but if I can pull it off it would help me greatly. Thoughts thus far?

**slimslob** · 12-02-2021

You are looking at a model that was introduced in September of 2006. It is well past the guaranteed support and parts availability dates. Run Forrest Gump, run away as fast as you can. If you want to go with a Ricoh look for something that the model # ends in 02.

**luca72** · 12-02-2021

Originally Posted by fhusnik

I am looking at a copier for my small business (I do electronic repair). I have a chance to get the above referenced unit but it has a problem with jamming. The owner isn't exactly sure where. This has an (optional?) ADF thing that attaches to the side. It isn't clear if it is in the main copier or the ADF. He had a serviceman out to look at it, and was told it could be fixed, but not in 1 hour. Parts would have to be ordered, and it would take some repair time. Should I bother or walk away? I'm pretty good with repairs (of computers, audio equipment, cars...I am not sure about copiers but if I can pull it off it would help me greatly. Thoughts thus far?

I give you some advice, as if you were giving it to myself, since if I understand well, you haven't taken it yet .... as slimslob says, take something more modern, that machine is too old, and expensive to maintain

**sandmanmac** · 12-03-2021

To weigh in with my 2 cents.
First, I'm in 100% agreement with my colleagues above.

And now for a brief rant........

Copiers are NOT computers, or basic electronic devices. While they share a lot of the technologies, it goes way beyond that, with many, many moving parts, and systems working in conjunction with one another - much more like that car, but while I'm pretty proficient with MFP's, I'm not about to think that I can rebuild a transmission!

So it grinds my gears a bit when people have the attitude of "how hard can it be?"
While your machine supposedly only has a jamming problem, that could be, and probably is, just the beginning. If it has any sort of smearing/ smudging, or image defects of any sort , it's not just going to be about just opening it up and cleaning the interior. You could very well be looking at well over a thousand dollars before you even blink, depending where the machine is on its PM cycle if it needs drum units/ transfer belt/ fuser rollers, etc. But, at this VERY LATE point in it's life, it really doesn't matter what the PM counts are, it's just really old, and consumables start to fail for that reason alone.

I agree with Slim about the newer units, but even the xx02's can be up to 10 years old now, and I would add that most of the same rules apply regardless of the age of the unit. For example, a colour machine of this nature with 500K on the meter may actually be in better shape than than one with 200K because it may have had a lot of PM items recently replaced. There's no simple answer other than to do what many people do with that used car......have someone that knows these machines assess it first.

**Phil B.** · 12-03-2021

Originally Posted by sandmanmac

To weigh in with my 2 cents.
First, I'm in 100% agreement with my colleagues above.

And now for a brief rant........

Copiers are NOT computers, or basic electronic devices. While they share a lot of the technologies, it goes way beyond that, with many, many moving parts, and systems working in conjunction with one another - much more like that car, but while I'm pretty proficient with MFP's, I'm not about to think that I can rebuild a transmission!

So it grinds my gears a bit when people have the attitude of "how hard can it be?"
While your machine supposedly only has a jamming problem, that could be, and probably is, just the beginning. If it has any sort of smearing/ smudging, or image defects of any sort , it's not just going to be about just opening it up and cleaning the interior. You could very well be looking at well over a thousand dollars before you even blink, depending where the machine is on its PM cycle if it needs drum units/ transfer belt/ fuser rollers, etc. But, at this VERY LATE point in it's life, it really doesn't matter what the PM counts are, it's just really old, and consumables start to fail for that reason alone.

I agree with Slim about the newer units, but even the xx02's can be up to 10 years old now, and I would add that most of the same rules apply regardless of the age of the unit. For example, a colour machine of this nature with 500K on the meter may actually be in better shape than than one with 200K because it may have had a lot of PM items recently replaced. There's no simple answer other than to do what many people do with that used car......have someone that knows these machines assess it first.

DAMNNNNN
Brother I couldn't have said it better.

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