LaserJet 4M - No display, flashing lights, ticking sound

[sdsvtdriver]

Hello all,

My trusty LJ 4M worked fine until power up one morning and while during the power up self test sequence, the Ready, Online, and Form Feed LED's started blinking and it started making a "tick tick tick" sound. After turning it off, waiting, and powering it on again, it just makes a fast paced "tick" sound, no display, and the Ready, Online, and Form Feed LED's blink.

I've tried a new power outlet (plugged directly into the wall), pulled out the tray, toner, and removed from the duplexer. Same results. Without an error code I'm not sure what to do. Hopefully it isn't toast... I love this printer.

Any suggestions? :confused:

Much Thanks.

[Big Al]

If this is the HP-4 that uses the #98 cartridge you may have a worn out transmission. This is a gear box that drives the fuser and the toner cartridge. It is a fairly big job to replace it. I would suggest finding a 5N with a low page count. That printer uses the same #98 cartridge. If you have the rare HP-4MP then what I said does not apply. Parts for the 4MP are made of that rare metal: unobtainium.

Al

[sdsvtdriver]

Thanks for the reply Al. I plan to dig into it over the weekend and see if I can find anything obvious but I'm not holding out much hope. I figured the lights blinking would be a sign of something specific, however reading through the service manual led me to no conclusion.

I'll post up a video for fun later. :)

[sdsvtdriver]

Ok after spending some time with it, it seems to appear to be power related... not mechanical. I made a video that shows the LED status and picks up the "clicking" sound... seems like a relay or something. The sound is coming from the area where the power cord plugs into.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnFcyxDAm-w

[Big Al]

It looks like you could indeed have a bad power supply. Time you purchased a used power supply and paid to ship it you could probably find a parts machine. Then you would have a spare formatter, NIC, fuser, and so on. Did you pull the fuser then try it? Since this printer is so old, but good, you might try Craig's list or run an ad in the local paper. People have sold these at yard sales for $2.00.

Al

[woodss]

It looks like you could indeed have a bad power supply. Time you purchased a used power supply and paid to ship it you could probably find a parts machine. Then you would have a spare formatter, NIC, fuser, and so on. Did you pull the fuser then try it? Since this printer is so old, but good, you might try Craig's list or run an ad in the local paper. People have sold these at yard sales for $2.00.

Al

Not worth it.

You can open up the power supply and inspect the componets, if any are burnt, you can replace them, they are all standard componets and this is the good thing about older machines, a lot easier to repair.