Maintenance for HP Laserjet 4

[Dan_Musicant]

I've had my HP4M (it was an HP4 with 6 MB RAM when I bought it, and I
purchased the Postscript cartridge, so it's essentially an HP4M) since
1994 and it's been very lightly used. The page count is 17,350 pages,
around 5 cartridges or so. I've always used new (not remanufactured)
cartridges.

Never had a serious problem or one I couldn't handle myself. But lately
(last month or two) my prints have become progressively problematical.
The background to text is getting greyer and greyer and now it's gotten
to the point where text is getting hard to read. I tried removing and
shaking the cartridge (it's been in there 3-4 years I think!), but that
didn't help.

I've never replaced any parts or really cleaned anything. I figure I can
try a few things:

1. Replace the cartridge (I have a new one, but it's been on a shelf for
around 4 years!)

2. Replace the transfer roller

3. Replace the fuser assembly

If (1.) doesn't work, should I do 2 and 3 together or try just replacing
the transfer roller? Just the transfer roller would be cheaper, but if I
have to replace the fuser assembly too, it would be cheaper to get a kit
that includes both. How likely is it that the fuser assembly needs
replacing?

I don't know how reliable refurbished components are. All new parts
would be around $200 apparently, but kits with a refurbished fuser seem
to run $80 to $110 or so, after sending back the current fuser. Any tips
here?

I see a few suppliers online, including laserprintingkits.com, which
looks like it might be OK ($40 kit without fuser, shipped). They sell a
fuser assembly separately for around $80 + shipping, should the first
kit not resolve my problems. What do you guys think? TIA for help!

Dan

 

[Bob Eager]

I've had my HP4M (it was an HP4 with 6 MB RAM when I bought it, and I
purchased the Postscript cartridge, so it's essentially an HP4M)

Technically, the HP4M has a network card too...not that it matters!

Never had a serious problem or one I couldn't handle myself. But lately
(last month or two) my prints have become progressively problematical.
The background to text is getting greyer and greyer and now it's gotten
to the point where text is getting hard to read. I tried removing and
shaking the cartridge (it's been in there 3-4 years I think!), but that
didn't help.

Is this uniform, or patchy? If it's uniform, I'd change the toner
cartridge first; you can get them off ebay cheaply enough. The cartridge
contains a lot of important parts apart from toner.

If it's patchy I'd probably still change the toner cartridge...if it
doesn't fix it, it was cheap, and can be used anyway when the existing
one runs out. Another common cause of patchy faint print is the transfer
roller; can't really be cleaned but is again pretty cheap and can be
changed in 2 minutes; the only tool needed is the hook on the end of the
cleaning brush.

3. Replace the fuser assembly

Pretty unlikely. You'd be getting a lot of loose toner on the prints.

 

[Tony]

I've had my HP4M (it was an HP4 with 6 MB RAM when I bought it, and I
purchased the Postscript cartridge, so it's essentially an HP4M) since
1994 and it's been very lightly used. The page count is 17,350 pages,
around 5 cartridges or so. I've always used new (not remanufactured)
cartridges.

Never had a serious problem or one I couldn't handle myself. But lately
(last month or two) my prints have become progressively problematical.
The background to text is getting greyer and greyer and now it's gotten
to the point where text is getting hard to read. I tried removing and
shaking the cartridge (it's been in there 3-4 years I think!), but that
didn't help.

I've never replaced any parts or really cleaned anything. I figure I can
try a few things:

1. Replace the cartridge (I have a new one, but it's been on a shelf for
around 4 years!)

2. Replace the transfer roller

3. Replace the fuser assembly

If (1.) doesn't work, should I do 2 and 3 together or try just replacing
the transfer roller? Just the transfer roller would be cheaper, but if I
have to replace the fuser assembly too, it would be cheaper to get a kit
that includes both. How likely is it that the fuser assembly needs
replacing?

I don't know how reliable refurbished components are. All new parts
would be around $200 apparently, but kits with a refurbished fuser seem
to run $80 to $110 or so, after sending back the current fuser. Any tips
here?

I see a few suppliers online, including laserprintingkits.com, which
looks like it might be OK ($40 kit without fuser, shipped). They sell a
fuser assembly separately for around $80 + shipping, should the first
kit not resolve my problems. What do you guys think? TIA for help!

Dan

Dan almost certainly not the fuser.
Cartridge possibly or transfer roller, there really isn't much else it can be.
The laser scanner won't cause gray background.
A 4 year old cartridge is likely to have problems, mainly due to wiper blade
aging, this causes gray backgrounds although usually in vertical stripes.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Dan_Musicant]

:>I've had my HP4M (it was an HP4 with 6 MB RAM when I bought it, and I
:>purchased the Postscript cartridge, so it's essentially an HP4M) since
:>1994 and it's been very lightly used. The page count is 17,350 pages,
:>around 5 cartridges or so. I've always used new (not remanufactured)
:>cartridges.
:>
:>Never had a serious problem or one I couldn't handle myself. But lately
:>(last month or two) my prints have become progressively problematical.
:>The background to text is getting greyer and greyer and now it's gotten
:>to the point where text is getting hard to read. I tried removing and
:>shaking the cartridge (it's been in there 3-4 years I think!), but that
:>didn't help.
:>
:>I've never replaced any parts or really cleaned anything. I figure I can
:>try a few things:
:>
:>1. Replace the cartridge (I have a new one, but it's been on a shelf for
:>around 4 years!)
:>
:>2. Replace the transfer roller
:>
:>3. Replace the fuser assembly
:>
:>If (1.) doesn't work, should I do 2 and 3 together or try just replacing
:>the transfer roller? Just the transfer roller would be cheaper, but if I
:>have to replace the fuser assembly too, it would be cheaper to get a kit
:>that includes both. How likely is it that the fuser assembly needs
:>replacing?
:>
:>I don't know how reliable refurbished components are. All new parts
:>would be around $200 apparently, but kits with a refurbished fuser seem
:>to run $80 to $110 or so, after sending back the current fuser. Any tips
:>here?
:>
:>I see a few suppliers online, including laserprintingkits.com, which
:>looks like it might be OK ($40 kit without fuser, shipped). They sell a
:>fuser assembly separately for around $80 + shipping, should the first
:>kit not resolve my problems. What do you guys think? TIA for help!
:>
:>Dan
:
an almost certainly not the fuser.
:Cartridge possibly or transfer roller, there really isn't much else it can be.
:The laser scanner won't cause gray background.
:A 4 year old cartridge is likely to have problems, mainly due to wiper blade
:aging, this causes gray backgrounds although usually in vertical stripes.
:Tony
:MS MVP Printing/Imaging

Thanks. Actually, the grayness does tend to be vertically banded, so I
think it may well be the cartridge. I'll put my "new" one in tomorrow.
Again, it's HP, not refurb, but the box appears to indicate that it was
packaged in 2002 (!) so the "new" one I put in might not function
properly. It's been stored under very good conditions in terms of
temperature. Rarely got over 70 degrees, usually less.

Dan

 

[John B]

Please let us all know how this works out. Your story is an interesting
one.

Why shouldn't the 2002 cartridge be good? I presume it has been in a sealed
bag all this time?

 

[Bob Eager]

Please let us all know how this works out. Your story is an interesting
one.

Why shouldn't the 2002 cartridge be good? I presume it has been in a sealed
bag all this time?

Some of them do actually have a 'best before' date on the box; having
said that, I've never had any trouble. They do deteriorate once the
*cartridge* is 'opened' (the seal is broken).

 

[Dan_Musicant]

:
:> Please let us all know how this works out. Your story is an interesting
:> one.
:>
:> Why shouldn't the 2002 cartridge be good? I presume it has been in a sealed
:> bag all this time?
:
:Some of them do actually have a 'best before' date on the box; having
:said that, I've never had any trouble. They do deteriorate once the
:*cartridge* is 'opened' (the seal is broken).

Yes, I checked all this out recently. The information I was able to find
indicated a shelf life and a life around 1/2 that (maybe less) for a
cartridge that has been removed from it's sealed packaging. Therefore, I
was disappointed to realize that my "new" cartridge may indeed not even
work now. I ordered 2 at the time because I found what looked like an
unbeatable deal for new (not refurb) cartridges.

I installed the 2nd today (i.e. the one still in the unopened box) and
printed a test print in XP Pro. It looks perfect to me! Before
installing it, I removed the old cartridge, and weighed it: 2 lb. 12 oz.
The new cartridge weighs 3 lb. 1 oz. Is there a way to determine the
weight of an empty cartridge without using my current cartridge down to
empty? If I knew that I could guage how much toner I have left.

The cartridge I just removed was somehow leaking toner, something I
realized a few weeks ago when I tried shaking the cartridge. That, of
course, indicated that there was a problem with it but I didn't know if
there was another problem with the printer as well. Now, I guess I can
assume that the transfer roller and fuser assembly are actually OK.

Dan

 

[Bob Eager]

:Some of them do actually have a 'best before' date on the box; having
:said that, I've never had any trouble. They do deteriorate once the
:*cartridge* is 'opened' (the seal is broken).

Yes, I checked all this out recently. The information I was able to find
indicated a shelf life and a life around 1/2 that (maybe less) for a
cartridge that has been removed from it's sealed packaging. Therefore, I
was disappointed to realize that my "new" cartridge may indeed not even
work now.

Pretty unlikely. As I've said, I've never had a problem.

I installed the 2nd today (i.e. the one still in the unopened box) and
printed a test print in XP Pro. It looks perfect to me! Before
installing it, I removed the old cartridge, and weighed it: 2 lb. 12 oz.
The new cartridge weighs 3 lb. 1 oz. Is there a way to determine the
weight of an empty cartridge without using my current cartridge down to
empty? If I knew that I could guage how much toner I have left.

No idea. I have always had a sticker inside the lid, and note the page
count at every change. You get a pretty good idea (6000 or slightly less
for a 98A, about 7800 for a 98X) how much you're going to get.

The cartridge I just removed was somehow leaking toner, something I
realized a few weeks ago when I tried shaking the cartridge. That, of
course, indicated that there was a problem with it

Not at all. They WILL leak if you shake them. A gentle rolling motion
about the long axis is sufficient. They are not leak proof - they don't
have a 'door' that shuts when you remove them from the printer.

 

[Dan_Musicant]

:
:> :Some of them do actually have a 'best before' date on the box; having
:> :said that, I've never had any trouble. They do deteriorate once the
:> :*cartridge* is 'opened' (the seal is broken).
:>
:> Yes, I checked all this out recently. The information I was able to find
:> indicated a shelf life and a life around 1/2 that (maybe less) for a
:> cartridge that has been removed from it's sealed packaging. Therefore, I
:> was disappointed to realize that my "new" cartridge may indeed not even
:> work now.
:
retty unlikely. As I've said, I've never had a problem.

Thanks for this good info.
:
:> I installed the 2nd today (i.e. the one still in the unopened box) and
:> printed a test print in XP Pro. It looks perfect to me! Before
:> installing it, I removed the old cartridge, and weighed it: 2 lb. 12 oz.
:> The new cartridge weighs 3 lb. 1 oz. Is there a way to determine the
:> weight of an empty cartridge without using my current cartridge down to
:> empty? If I knew that I could guage how much toner I have left.
:
:No idea. I have always had a sticker inside the lid, and note the page
:count at every change. You get a pretty good idea (6000 or slightly less
:for a 98A, about 7800 for a 98X) how much you're going to get.

I had the idea today to put in my own sticker with the date I put in the
new one and the pagecount. I'm going to do it now... done.
:
:> The cartridge I just removed was somehow leaking toner, something I
:> realized a few weeks ago when I tried shaking the cartridge. That, of
:> course, indicated that there was a problem with it
:
:Not at all. They WILL leak if you shake them. A gentle rolling motion
:about the long axis is sufficient. They are not leak proof - they don't
:have a 'door' that shuts when you remove them from the printer.

Interesting info, thanks.

Dan

 

[Tony]

:
:> Please let us all know how this works out. Your story is an interesting
:> one.
:>
:> Why shouldn't the 2002 cartridge be good? I presume it has been in a sealed
:> bag all this time?
:
:Some of them do actually have a 'best before' date on the box; having
:said that, I've never had any trouble. They do deteriorate once the
:*cartridge* is 'opened' (the seal is broken).

Yes, I checked all this out recently. The information I was able to find
indicated a shelf life and a life around 1/2 that (maybe less) for a
cartridge that has been removed from it's sealed packaging. Therefore, I
was disappointed to realize that my "new" cartridge may indeed not even
work now. I ordered 2 at the time because I found what looked like an
unbeatable deal for new (not refurb) cartridges.

I installed the 2nd today (i.e. the one still in the unopened box) and
printed a test print in XP Pro. It looks perfect to me! Before
installing it, I removed the old cartridge, and weighed it: 2 lb. 12 oz.
The new cartridge weighs 3 lb. 1 oz. Is there a way to determine the
weight of an empty cartridge without using my current cartridge down to
empty? If I knew that I could guage how much toner I have left.

The cartridge I just removed was somehow leaking toner, something I
realized a few weeks ago when I tried shaking the cartridge. That, of
course, indicated that there was a problem with it but I didn't know if
there was another problem with the printer as well. Now, I guess I can
assume that the transfer roller and fuser assembly are actually OK.

Dan

Dan
A new cartridge (for your printer) contains 340 grams of toner, if that helps.
An expended cartridge will still have some waste toner, maybe 10 grams (just a
guess).
For what it's worth, toner cartridges do have a few components that age even
when in their original packaging.
Firstly the drum which is photosensitive, even in total darkness there can be
some deterioration but I would expect this to take some years. Secondly the
wiper blade which seems to develop a "memory" and ages when not in use, this is
the part that would have caused the gray vertical stripes you experienced and
can fail quite quickly in my experienc (1-3 years is not uncommon).
Finally the toner itself in some (not HP) printers can separate in storage, the
developer (or carrier) and toner need to be well mixed and in some cases lack
of use causes this separation with consequential very poor quality. The other
components in the cartridge probably have an almost unlimited life.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging