HP LJ (4mv) Fuser

[stephen11962]

I have a 4mv. (200,000 page count. purchased used and don't know the maintenance history.) I suspect a problem with the fuser - there is a repeating smudging every 2.45" +/-. Before replacing the fuser, is there any cleaning or other maintenance that can be done that might clean up the printing? I have seen posts talking about marred hot rollers. How does one inspect for this? Is this a replaceable item?

stephen11962

[Brian]

If you look at the wonderful and very handy Repetitive Defects Ruler on this site you'll see that a repetitive defect at about 2.48" is a developer problem, so I would try another cartridge if I were you.

Brian

[stephen11962]

Sorry. I made a typo in my original post. The measurement was 3.45". I did look at that ruler and that is how I came to the fuser part of the troubleshooting.

I ran a printing of 44 pages before receiving answers. (This was a pdf file which had gray, not black, printing.) The beginning of the run had the smudging and the end of the run was pretty clean. So??? (I must say that the smudging is very slight.)

So, I repeat the question of the source of the smudging. If this is this a fuser issue should I replace the fuser or is there some intermediate maintenance step avoiding the expense?

(Further information in the interest of full disclosure. I bought a new toner, real, new HP but carrying a 10 2002S date(?) on the carton. Could there be a freshness problem?)

Stephen11962