black specks on Xerox 242

[Mary Lou]

I am getting small black specks all over in non printing areas. Any suggestions?

 

[xfactor printing]

Are they pure black or a mix of all the dirty toner?
Try opening the fuser and then the transfer belt drawer (carefully remove two screws with a magnetic screwdriver that hold it closed). Pull it all the way forward and then tilt up the transfer belt assembly. (there are plastic lock tabs on the drawer which allow it to come all the way out) There's a leg on the front that will hold it up at an angle. Then carefully remove the two screws that hold the cleaning assembly on the right side. Then pull the cleaning assembly up and out. Give it a careful good cleaning and wipe the transfer blade. And then reassemble. (be careful not to touch the transfer belt with your fingers and be careful it doesn't get damaged when you put the transfer assembly back in place.)
How many prints since you've replaced the cleaning blade assembly?
Also give the drum drawer a cleaning (be careful not to touch the drum surfaces or developer rollers and put the drums in their foil bags so they don't get hurt during the cleaning.)

 

[xfactor printing]

Another thing -- if you take out your black drum cartridge out and look at the black developer roller closely with a flashlight, does it look like it's covered with a nice even "fur" of black developer? Or are there irregular chunks and flakes showing on the developer roller?

 

[Mary Lou]

Thanks so much. I had a tech clean the transfer belt cleaner but I don't think he cleaned the blade, just blew it out. I just tried to take it out but can't find the plastic lock tabs. The cleaning blade assembly was replaced about 50,000 copies ago. The developer looks good to me. It was replaced along with the developer unit about 150,000 copies ago so it probably needs replacing. Should I replace the developer unit also? Not sure how many copies it's good for.

 

[xfactor printing]

It sounds like you've already tried the most obvious things that I suggested. Maybe someone else has some ideas?

I don't think the tech would have put the cleaning assembly back in if the blade looked terrible or full of gunk.
150,000 on the developer isn't a ton. Those can go 500,000 or more. Bad developer will make black spots all over the print although it should be visible on the roller where you see it clumped unevenly. I'm not sure what is causing your problem. If you've figured it out, please let us know. Or maybe someone else has some ideas and can post.

 

[InterfaceP]

Are the spots in a repeating pattern? If so can you measure the distance between them? Is it only in Black?

 

[Mary Lou]

The spots are not repeating and looks like it is only black. On lightweight paper there are not spots. Only on heavy weight paper.

 

[InterfaceP]

Did you try replacing the Black drum? Sounds like somethings not cleaning properly. The fact that it's only black is a great start. The other issue may be developer contamination. Its a messy job replacing it, but it can be done fairly easy.

Have you always used Xerox toner? Some toner on Ebay is refilled with generic and sold as Xerox.

 

[Jeff]

Are the spots black spots surrounded by a lighter halo or are they more akin to smudges?

 

[Mary Lou]

The black drum is new. I only use Xerox toner. I have new black developer and a developer unit that I haven't put in yet. The black developer looks good. I talked to a former Xerox tech who said it is definitely the IBT cleaner as I'm also getting streaks. I had a technician replace the IBT belt and he was supposed to clean the IBT cleaner but I don't think he cleaned the black. I took the screws out of it but I cannot get the IBT cleaner out. Tried pulling it up and out but can't get it out.

 

[Mary Lou]

I have the screws out of the IBT cleaner but I cannot get it out. Tried pulling it up and out. Any suggestions?

 

[Jeff]

Attached is an image of the two screws to remove. Once you remove the screws, you would pull it up (in this photo view) and it will click off. Once you do it you get the feel for how it fits in - the first time you have to be careful and work it a tiny bit being sure not to hit the belt to get a feel for exactly how it snaps out and in. I was replacing the transfer belt here which is why the whole ITB is out; for the cleaning blade only you can do it in the machine by lifting the front side of the ITB assembly up and putting it on the metal rod stand that's part of the ITB assembly. In that case you would pull the cleaning blade assembly out towards the front.

 

[Mary Lou]

Thanks Jeff!!!! It worked. The cleaning blade assembly was filthy.

 

[Mary Lou]

The black specks are back. No spots for about 500 copies but now they are very faintly covering the entire sheet. Just looked at the developer again and it looks good. Any other ideas?

 

[Mary Lou]

Sample of black specs

 

[Mary Lou]

Problem solved. It ended up being the black developer unit. Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Mary Lou]

The black specs are back. I change the black developer unit and black developer in January which solved the problem then. I have tried everything I can think of: put in a new black drum, took out the IBT cleaning assembly twice and cleaned it really good, cleaned the drum drawer and changed fusers. Any other ideas?

 

[Ink Spot Printing]

Hello @Mary Lou, did you ever find a solution to the black specs?

 

[Milo Wilson]

Looks like a Black developer bias issue. That is a faint background on the image you posted.