[rescue] Trying to figure out a rescued HP 4000T printer

[Eric Webb]

On Monday 02 June 2003 10:45 pm, Dan Sikorski wrote:
>
> When it does the 13.1 bit, does it move the top sheet out of the tray at
> all? just about an inch? or does the page actually get into the printer?

Yeah, when diagnosing printer problems, you really gotta think like a printer 
(and tell us what you're thinking)... what happens?  I'm guessing the 
scanning mirror drum spins up....  Does the paper path motor start up (and 
the paper path rollers start turning)?  Next, the input feeder assembly will 
dip the pickup roller onto the tray and pick up a sheet of paper.  Usually 
there's a click or clunk at this point.  Sometimes you can remove panels to 
get a view of what's going on and usually see the problem.

Sensory-wise, laser printers don't have but 2-4 rocker switches that sense 
paper presence.  Yeah, they like to be tripped in order and at the right time 
;)

The tilting bit makes me think it's one of the rocker switches, or possibly a 
broken input feeder that's missing a spring or something?  If there's no 
grinding or any obvious noise like that (ie bad gear or loose framing), then 
it's gotta be something "soft" and presumably easy to fix/rig.  

I've become pretty familiar with diagnosing LaserJet 5si problems -- we have 
several in the distribution center that I support that have probably seen a 
billion pages each (well, let's just say that these have long seen their 
expected lifespan come and go several times).

-E.