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Q: Laserwriter 4/600 paper jams when printing more than 1 page1

I have a Laserwriter 4/600 that jams whenever a print job more than one page is sent. The first page will stop half-way as it is coming out of the top tray and when I pull out the paper tray, I see that the printer has started to pull the second page halfway around the curve. This can be reproduced easily. I'm wondering if there's a problem with the printer or the paper that I'm using? It just recently started this behavior and there hasn't been anything that's changed. Any ideas? Thanks.

Posted on Dec 2, 2010 9:02 AM

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Q: Laserwriter 4/600 paper jams when printing more than 1 page1

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  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Dec 2, 2010 12:47 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    Level 9 (60,904 points)
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    Dec 2, 2010 12:47 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    Are you absolutely certain that you are printing true to size, e.g., NOT printing legal-sized images on letter-sized paper. That is what mine does when you have specified the wrong size paper, and occasionally when you specify hand-feed but do not supply the paper in time.

    You cannot stuff the tray absolutely full. There must still be room for the top page to slide on the stack beneath.

    The more common mis-pick is a failure to pick -- the page is still sitting in the tray. It is absolutely crucial that ALL pages be captured beneath the metal tab at the leading end of the tray -- failure to be beneath the tab will result in a multi-pick at best.
  • by SoCal Cal,

    SoCal Cal SoCal Cal Dec 3, 2010 8:29 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (34 points)
    iOS Apps
    Dec 3, 2010 8:29 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    yes, to printing true to size, no, to tray not stuffed full (i made that mistake before and it wouldn't even feed at all), and yes, all sheets were under the metal corner tab. is there anything in the printer that might need cleaning out? thanks for all of the suggestions, though.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Dec 3, 2010 9:10 AM in response to SoCal Cal
    Level 9 (60,904 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 3, 2010 9:10 AM in response to SoCal Cal
    There is one more thing to look at that is a little harder to describe.

    Remove the toner cartridge and set it aside. Underneath the middle of the area where it normally sits, there is a bright metal piece that spans that space side-to-side.

    It always looks just fine, but I had trouble with one that was not absolutely bottomed in place. If it is raised, even a little nit, pages will "trip" and occasionally jam there. Press down on it forcefully to be certain it is bottomed in its slot.

    Then test to see if this had any effect.
  • by SoCal Cal,

    SoCal Cal SoCal Cal Dec 3, 2010 9:39 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (34 points)
    iOS Apps
    Dec 3, 2010 9:39 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    okay, i see the metal piece, but it appears to be spring-loaded so it never actually sits flat. it's definitely attached flat to whatever piece is spring-loaded, but the paper is still jamming. now, what I did was take the toner out after it stopped and the paper is actually past the point of the metal piece you're talking about.

    when i pull the paper tray out, the paper appears to be "grabbed" by the piece on the left front. do you think that might possibly be the cause of the jam? the "grabber" is not leaving enough slack for the paper to feed through? thanks for your help.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Dec 3, 2010 11:45 AM in response to SoCal Cal
    Level 9 (60,904 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 3, 2010 11:45 AM in response to SoCal Cal
    The "grabber" piece on the left front propels the paper through the printer. A frequent cause of jamming is tearing the paper when trying to remove it after a jam, but leaving a sliver of paper behind inside the printer.

    You can make the grabber finish ratcheting the paper through (and avoid tearing) by rolling it forward it with your fingers from below.
  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Dec 3, 2010 10:23 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 9 (60,904 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 3, 2010 10:23 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    There is a repair kit available from a good third-party laser printer repair company in LA area:

    http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/kits/apple/K57

    It suggests that such a problem may be caused by a broken paper sensor. Since yours prints page 1 and stops, perhaps your paper sensor is bent or sticking.
  • by SoCal Cal,

    SoCal Cal SoCal Cal Dec 3, 2010 10:40 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (34 points)
    iOS Apps
    Dec 3, 2010 10:40 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    thanks for the link. i think i'll take this sucker apart again to see if there are any pieces of paper that got left behind when freeing one of the jammed sheets. if not, maybe i'll try the repair kit. thanks again for your help!
  • by Appaloosa mac man,Solvedanswer

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Dec 14, 2010 7:55 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Dec 14, 2010 7:55 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    SoCal Cal,

    We use that printer daily. Five in fact. The final exit roller is not gripping the paper well enough. Here is the quick fix. Check the back door to make sure it is closed tight. If so, try printing with the door open. The left side has a plastic tab that tells the printer that the door is shut. Take an envelope or piece of card stock and duplicate the tab. Stick it in the slot and the green ready LED will come back on. Hit print. If the paper comes out fine then you have confirmed that the top exit roller needs to be rejuvenated.

    This trick also works if you want to print on card stock and need a flat paper path from the front tray. The reason designers moved away from flat paths is that multi-page documents had to be collated to reverse the print order.

    Give that a try and see if that isolates the problem.

    Jim
  • by SoCal Cal,

    SoCal Cal SoCal Cal Dec 14, 2010 8:50 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Level 1 (34 points)
    iOS Apps
    Dec 14, 2010 8:50 PM in response to Appaloosa mac man
    Jim, you're my hero! I took the back door off and noticed that a little plastic tab appears to have broken off the left side (or right side depending on the direction you're looking at it) where the metal spring attaches. I got the spring back into position (it had popped halfway out, thus reducing the tension) and the printer can print 3 pages in a row without a problem. I'm assuming this was the problem and now I'll know where to look again if the problem appears again. Thanks for your help!
  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Dec 16, 2010 10:13 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Dec 16, 2010 10:13 PM in response to SoCal Cal
    That is why we do this. We all like happy endings.

    Jim