C554e making chirping noise about every three 11x17 copies

[bearyb]

I've been working on a C554e for about 4 days off and on, and cannot locate the source of an intermittent chirping/squeaking noise. It sounds like it originates in the area behind the control panel, so I figured it had something to do with the exit assembly, but the noise will at times occur before the exit rollers even turn.

I typically will run ten 11x17 lattice test sheets (though what's on the page isn't important, and it will do it on 8 1/2 x 11 as well), and the noise occurs about every three copies. If the noise occurs at the very end of the run, it will not happen again until a couple of sheets go through. If the noise happens before the last couple of sheets come out, it will happen again just as the machine starts up (that's how I noticed it happening before the exit rollers start turning).

Copy quality is not affected. No error codes are triggered.

I removed the finisher and relay unit, so those parts are not the issue.

I replaced the transfer belt assembly without any change.

There was a bit of vibration at the front bushing when manually turning the 2nd transfer roller, so I replaced it with a new one. No difference.

I have not tried a different fuser, but the noise seems too physically high in the machine for that to be the cause, not to mention its predictable intermittence.

I was thinking it might have something to do with waste toner conveyance, but there is nothing in that area that seems to be involved in that process.

It will sometimes not make the noise when running the machine after it sits idle for a while (like overnight), but starts up again after a few sets.

Any ideas?

[copyman]

It's the fuser.

[blackcat4866]

I had to laugh while reading your account. I spent a good hour chasing squeaks. Just when I thought that I had found it, it would give me the tiniest chirp. Then I identified that it squeaked every 10 pages on my test pattern (LTR ~15% fill). My machine was a 454e (monochrome), but I think that all those parts are the same.

If you remove the sub hopper assembly from the front of the engine and turn it around you'll see a group of 6 gears (on the "C" version you'll see 4 sets of 6 gears). Clean the bore of each gear with a Q-tip and alcohol. Clean each plastic shaft. Apply grease (like IBM23 or Mobilegrease28) to the bore of each gear before reassembling. Mobilgrease28 is red, so you'll see the red grease in the photo.

454e toner hopper squeak.JPG

=^..^=

[copier addict]

There is a white plastic gear right next to the bypass feed clutch that will create a squeak. You have to remove the bypass clutch and lube this gear.

[EarthKmTech]

I had to laugh while reading your account. I spent a good hour chasing squeaks. Just when I thought that I had found it, it would give me the tiniest chirp. Then I identified that it squeaked every 10 pages on my test pattern (LTR ~15% fill). My machine was a 454e (monochrome), but I think that all those parts are the same.

=^..^=

Yes, black sub hopper does squeak on all 4 series, all e series and all 8 series too - they are STILL not lubricating them from the factory.

VERY VERY COMMON

run solid black pages to determine if its the black sub hopper toner add drive - everytime toner is added to the dev unit the squeak will occur.