Subject: Ejecting paper with too much force?

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

We have a Compaq LN32 which just began moving the
paper too fast (apparently). I don't know
if the paper is actually moving too fast throughout the path or just not braking near the
end when the paper nears the exit. This is
the same printer as a Xerox N32 or IBM
Infoprint 32.

The first symptom was jams caused by the paper hitting the redirector comb controlled
by the solenoid on the top (this
selects the exit chute). Disabling that
solenoid cured the jams - because the comb
stayed locked in the right position and didn't
transition back and forth and get hit part way,
causing a jam between the fuser and the comb.

Unfortunately even with the solenoid
unplugged, rather than coming out nicely stacked (as controlled
by the stacker) the paper shoots several inches
too far and ends up in a messy pile on top of
the printer. It doesn't
matter whether the paper comes from tray 1, tray
2, or the manual feed. The only other symptom
seems to be that when paper is fed from one of
the trays the next page tends to pull out
a few inches, so that when the tray is removed
that sheet rips and has to be removed. Print
quality, on those pages which make it through
the gauntlet, is excellent. The duplexor still
works normally. There's no sign of
wear on the gears.

So far I've:

1. Checked all the paper path sensors -
they are all clean and working properly according to the diagnostics.

2.Cleaned all the rollers.

3.Generally cleaned the paper path.

Anybody ever seen something like this before? Where should I look next?

Thanks,


--
David Mathog
mathog@caltech.edu
Manager, Sequence Analysis Facility, Biology Division, Caltech