LaserJet 4M wavy edges, is there a remedy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mike anderson
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mike anderson

Wavy (or bent) edges on the printouts; I have two LJ4M which both
suffer from this problem. I have tried papers from a few different
manufactures, but no luck.
I went to google to read up on this but most people seem to have
different opinions about why this is happening and what to do about
it.
My theory is that is it something mechanical, in the way printer
transport the paper through the system. To me, the edges appear more
bent than wavy and it appear regardless of from where I choose to
print: multipurpose tray, paper cassette or lower cassette. So what
ever it might be, it seems to happen during or after printing, or
perhaps on the way out.

Anybody?

Any help would be most appreciated!
Mike


e mail: (e-mail address removed)

remove: remove
 
My theory is that is it something mechanical, in the way printer
transport the paper through the system. To me, the edges appear more
bent than wavy and it appear regardless of from where I choose to
print: multipurpose tray, paper cassette or lower cassette. So what
ever it might be, it seems to happen during or after printing, or
perhaps on the way out.
Click to expand...

When you say "more bent than wavy" do you mean a vertical line curves
slightly or is straight but at an angle?

It's just not vertical, it could be a problem with the registration roller
assembly.

Or are you referring to horizontal lines?
 
Quoth DaveG ...
When you say "more bent than wavy" do you mean a vertical line curves
slightly or is straight but at an angle?

It's just not vertical, it could be a problem with the registration roller
assembly.

Or are you referring to horizontal lines?
Click to expand...

This is physically in the paper, it has nothing to do with the print.

Wavy paper margins in lengthwise direction. From the vertical edges of
the paper, half an inch in towards the center of the paper.

With bent I mean; this appear in and around the middle of the paper,
in 2-3 inch increments (lengthwise) or so. It looks as if the edges is
bent one way and the next increment is bent in the opposite direction,
thereby creating a wavy look.

Thanks
Mike
 
This is physically in the paper, it has nothing to do with the print.

Wavy paper margins in lengthwise direction. From the vertical edges of
the paper, half an inch in towards the center of the paper.

With bent I mean; this appear in and around the middle of the paper,
in 2-3 inch increments (lengthwise) or so. It looks as if the edges is
bent one way and the next increment is bent in the opposite direction,
thereby creating a wavy look.
Click to expand...

The exact increment may be a clue to the part of the paper transport
that is causing this...so measurement would be helpful.

One obvious thing to try; have you changed the toner cartridge?
 
This is physically in the paper, it has nothing to do with the print.
Click to expand...

Ah, gotcha. It's clear now :-)
Wavy paper margins in lengthwise direction. From the vertical edges of
the paper, half an inch in towards the center of the paper.

With bent I mean; this appear in and around the middle of the paper,
in 2-3 inch increments (lengthwise) or so. It looks as if the edges is
bent one way and the next increment is bent in the opposite direction,
thereby creating a wavy look.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the fuser is running hot?

Have you tried stopping the printer part way through the transport to see
where it might be first occurring? Open the cover while printing. This
is easiest using the manual feed, tray 1, so you can stop it at different
parts of the transport.
 
Quoth Bob Eager ...
snip ..
..
The exact increment may be a clue to the part of the paper transport
that is causing this...so measurement would be helpful.

One obvious thing to try; have you changed the toner cartridge?
Click to expand...

Toner cartridges; one of the printers has a bigger issue with wavy
edges, it produce more, and bigger 'waves', than the other. I have
switched cartridges between the two but it did not change anything.
This printer still produced more wavy edges than the second one. Right
or wrong, this led me to rule out the cartridges as the source of the
problem.

The distance is interesting though, the distance between two 'peaks'
is 4.5 centimeter (1.8 inch).

Thanks
mike
 
Quoth DaveG ...
Ah, gotcha. It's clear now :-)


I wonder if the fuser is running hot?

Have you tried stopping the printer part way through the transport to see
where it might be first occurring? Open the cover while printing. This
is easiest using the manual feed, tray 1, so you can stop it at different
parts of the transport.
Click to expand...

This was a good idea, but no luck. I will check on the second printer
a bit later tonight just to confirm this.

This should indicate that it is happening before it reach the fuser
....

Thanks
mike
 
Toner cartridges; one of the printers has a bigger issue with wavy
edges, it produce more, and bigger 'waves', than the other. I have
switched cartridges between the two but it did not change anything.
This printer still produced more wavy edges than the second one. Right
or wrong, this led me to rule out the cartridges as the source of the
problem.
Click to expand...

Tried different paper? Perhaps it's drying out...
The distance is interesting though, the distance between two 'peaks'
is 4.5 centimeter (1.8 inch).
Click to expand...

Doesn't match anything obvious. Might be worth swapping fuser units
between the two printers, simply because they are a likely candidate and
it's only held in with two screws.

If it isn't that...it'll be in the big paper transport mechanism and
that requires some dismantling...
 
This was a good idea, but no luck. I will check on the second printer
a bit later tonight just to confirm this.

This should indicate that it is happening before it reach the fuser
Click to expand...

Does it occur if you use the manual paper feed?
 
Does it occur if you use the manual paper feed?
Click to expand...

He said it did:

"To me, the edges appear more
bent than wavy and it appear regardless of from where I choose to
print: multipurpose tray, paper cassette or lower cassette. "
 
Quoth Bob Eager ...
Tried different paper? Perhaps it's drying out...


Doesn't match anything obvious. Might be worth swapping fuser units
between the two printers, simply because they are a likely candidate and
it's only held in with two screws.

If it isn't that...it'll be in the big paper transport mechanism and
that requires some dismantling...
Click to expand...

Do you think it would be worth buying a maintenance kit, if so, which
one ... the are many variants at eBay? I have the service manual so
some dismantling should not be impossible.

Thanks
mike
 
Quoth Bob Eager ...


Do you think it would be worth buying a maintenance kit, if so, which
one ... the are many variants at eBay? I have the service manual so
some dismantling should not be impossible.
Click to expand...

That's a bit like saying 'my car makes a noise, should I get a new
steering wheel?'.

Maintenance kits contain pickup rollers and transfer rollers. I doubt if
it's any of them.

I would eliminate the fuser unit first, by swapping. Then let us know
what happens.
 
Quoth Bob Eager ...
That's a bit like saying 'my car makes a noise, should I get a new
steering wheel?'.

Maintenance kits contain pickup rollers and transfer rollers. I doubt if
it's any of them.

I would eliminate the fuser unit first, by swapping. Then let us know
what happens.
Click to expand...

It made perhaps a small change but only to the bad one, maybe its
printouts are a little less wavy now. The better one is about the same
as it was.

I am not sure of the value but ... an observation; first, if I put one
printout from each printer together, the waves pretty much correspond,
it should be the same fault in both of them.
Second, I am using paper from different manufactures while testing,
and I am now beginning to notice differences in wave patterns on the
left and right margins of the paper. The right (lengthwise) margin of
the papers have shorter and more waves than the right margin, which
have longer and fewer waves.

One of the paper is brand x and the other one is a Xerox laser paper.

Thank you kindly for all your help,
mike
 
It made perhaps a small change but only to the bad one, maybe its
printouts are a little less wavy now. The better one is about the same
as it was.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm...not very conclusive. I guess the fuser units could have the same
fault, but...

Is there anything in common about the history of the two printers? For
example, mine was used exclusively to print sandwich labels! (not that
this did it any harm...)

What's left? In the paper transport chain...

1) Pickup rollers. It fails on all paper sources, so unlikely.
2) Toner cartridge; eliminated.
3) Fuser rollers; almost certainly eliminated.

So...

4) Exit rollers. These are the ones at the top, facing forwards where
the paper comes out. I guess if you stop the printer before the paper
emerges you can eliminate that. Also the lower exit rollers, inslde the
back - likewise.

5) What's left is the main transport mechanism. This needs a bit of
dismantling to access. Email me if you want more details. If this unit
is loose (screws missing or loose) it might account for it. Otherwise,
swapping these between machines might eliminate/point them.Takes 10/20
minutes to remove/replace on one machine.
 
Quoth mike anderson ...
Quoth Bob Eager ...


It made perhaps a small change but only to the bad one, maybe its
printouts are a little less wavy now. The better one is about the same
as it was.

I am not sure of the value but ... an observation; first, if I put one
printout from each printer together, the waves pretty much correspond,
it should be the same fault in both of them.
Second, I am using paper from different manufactures while testing,
and I am now beginning to notice differences in wave patterns on the
left and right margins of the paper. The right (lengthwise) margin of
the papers have shorter and more waves than the right margin, which
have longer and fewer waves.

One of the paper is brand x and the other one is a Xerox laser paper.

Thank you kindly for all your help,
mike
Click to expand...

An elucidation:
Second, I am using paper from different manufactures while testing,
and I am now beginning to notice differences in wave patterns on the
left and right margins of the paper.
Click to expand...

the difference in wave patters at the right and left margins, occur
regardless of the paper manufactures - it occur in both of the papers.
 
You would probably be better off posting this problem to
fixyourownprinter.com Difference is there are real techs providing
support there rather than end users tossing out ideas. Anyone who would
even suggest a toner cartridge as a possible cause obviously has no
clue how printers operate.
 
You would probably be better off posting this problem to
fixyourownprinter.com Difference is there are real techs providing
support there rather than end users tossing out ideas. Anyone who would
even suggest a toner cartridge as a possible cause obviously has no
clue how printers operate.
Click to expand...

Crap. You clearly have no idea how the LJ4 operates. I have repaired
many of them. The toner cartridge contains a large number of replaceable
moving parts, and changing it is nearly always the first port of call.

Of course, you may work for fixyourownprinter.com.
 
You would probably be better off posting this problem to
fixyourownprinter.com Difference is there are real techs providing
support there rather than end users tossing out ideas. Anyone who would
even suggest a toner cartridge as a possible cause obviously has no
clue how printers operate.
Click to expand...

By the way, I can't see any indication that you have ever provided any
useful technical information in this group. So why rubbish everyone
else?
 
Quoth (e-mail address removed) ...
You would probably be better off posting this problem to
fixyourownprinter.com Difference is there are real techs providing
support there rather than end users tossing out ideas. Anyone who would
even suggest a toner cartridge as a possible cause obviously has no
clue how printers operate.
Click to expand...


Thank you ... I guess :)

I went to the website and I found an interesting comment in one of the
forums. A lady who mention that she has got rid of a wavy paper
problem by using a repair kit:
<http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/forums/laser/855#1>.

I have contacted the sales office asking them to tell me which kit it
is.

Thanks again for the tip
mike
 
Quoth Bob Eager ...
By the way, I can't see any indication that you have ever provided any
useful technical information in this group. So why rubbish everyone
else?
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you Bob, there is no need to be rude.

Bob here has helped me a lot with these printers a few years back, and
it is a fab NG for sure.

Great tip though, it might help me to solve the issue.
mike
 
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