RIcoh MP C4503 with SC 422 grinding noise on start-up

[patterson70]

Hello, Recently I had a MP C4503 call with an SC422. I removed the Drum Units and Transfer Belt and vacuumed out some very light toner spillage inside.
The code went away and stayed away during testing but the customer called the next day to say it came back.
So I went back and now when powering up it has the code along with a fairly loud grinding noise. It was not there on my first call.
I am almost positive the grinding noise is coming from the Transfer Belt Unit.
I tried reinstalling the Drums and Transfer Belt several times thinking the gears were not meshing and reinstalling would help, but it did not.
Do I need to install a new Transfer Belt Unit? Not sure and don't want to charge the customer for one and it turns out to be something else.
Thanks for any advice.

[copier tech]

Hello, Recently I had a MP C4503 call with an SC422. I removed the Drum Units and Transfer Belt and vacuumed out some very light toner spillage inside.
The code went away and stayed away during testing but the customer called the next day to say it came back.
So I went back and now when powering up it has the code along with a fairly loud grinding noise. It was not there on my first call.
I am almost positive the grinding noise is coming from the Transfer Belt Unit.
I tried reinstalling the Drums and Transfer Belt several times thinking the gears were not meshing and reinstalling would help, but it did not.
Do I need to install a new Transfer Belt Unit? Not sure and don't want to charge the customer for one and it turns out to be something else.
Thanks for any advice.

Check the transfer unit / mag toner supply motor.

• Code: SC442-00
• Description:ITB Lift Error Even though the ITB lift motor (also Toner supply motor (M)) rotates, the ITB lift sensor failed to detect the specified sensor feeler status within specified time. • Contact/separation operation: If not detected in 2000msec • Home position operation: If not detected in 5000msec Signal detection sampling period: 10msec
• Causes:• Image transfer unit not set/faulty setting • Sensor dirt • Sensor defective • Motor defective • Unit load large
• Remedy:• Reset the Image transfer unit • Clean the sensor • Replace the sensor • Replace the contact/separation drive unit • Replace the image transfer unit • Check the harness . Update the firmware

[luca72]

Hello, Recently I had a MP C4503 call with an SC422. I removed the Drum Units and Transfer Belt and vacuumed out some very light toner spillage inside.
The code went away and stayed away during testing but the customer called the next day to say it came back.
So I went back and now when powering up it has the code along with a fairly loud grinding noise. It was not there on my first call.
I am almost positive the grinding noise is coming from the Transfer Belt Unit.
I tried reinstalling the Drums and Transfer Belt several times thinking the gears were not meshing and reinstalling would help, but it did not.
Do I need to install a new Transfer Belt Unit? Not sure and don't want to charge the customer for one and it turns out to be something else.
Thanks for any advice.

for the grinding noise, remove the front plastic cover of the ITB unit (2 screws) and locate the front black plastic cam of the ITB unit, now with a piece of paper in the front panel actuator, activate its sp-804-ITB (I don't remember exactly which one, but you can find it easily), once activated, try to force the movement of the cam with your fingers and see if it produces the noise, probably a little grease somewhere is enough, also check the front bleed block of the ITB unit two large white gears, the one can also make noise, there is also a bit of thick grease.

[patterson70]

for the grinding noise, remove the front plastic cover of the ITB unit (2 screws) and locate the front black plastic cam of the ITB unit, now with a piece of paper in the front panel actuator, activate its sp-804-ITB (I don't remember exactly which one, but you can find it easily), once activated, try to force the movement of the cam with your fingers and see if it produces the noise, probably a little grease somewhere is enough, also check the front bleed block of the ITB unit two large white gears, the one can also make noise, there is also a bit of thick grease.

Thanks to all. I will be there next week to try these fixes and will let you know how it went. Cab anyone tell me why this happened in the first place? And have you had it happen as well? I'm afraid that even if I get it to stop grinding, it will come back again. Customer is not close by.

[semi]

I've had this before when one of the PCU's waste coil spring had snapped - woth checking if the WTB has recently been changed-check all the PCU's

[MBZ6301]

I've had this before when one of the PCU's waste coil spring had snapped - woth checking if the WTB has recently been changed-check all the PCU's

Reading that reminded me that the coil that runs below the PCU's to the WTB can break too. It's not a fun job, but if you remove the PCU's and run the coil in output mode you might see it fail to spin.

[patterson70]

This reminds me that the WT door did seem to be messed up and I had to kind of force close it. Like it had come off the hinge. Not sure if the customer broke it. Could that be it?

[slimslob]

Take along an ITB cleaning unit as well. I had a bushing seize to a shaft on one and cause a grinding noise and increase load on the motor.