LaserJet 1200 Series Feed Path Issue

[jack63ss]

I have a very old, but normally very reliable, LaserJet 1200 Model C7044A (mfg 2002), and I recently ran into an issue I can't figure out. The printer will print okay most of the time, but once in a while it will print one page, start to feed the next page and then stop with a "Door open,media out, no toner cartridge, or paper jam" blinking code. However there doors are closed, the cartridge is in, there is paper and there is no 'jam'. 

When this happens the 1st sheet consistently has 2" of paper still below the upper most roller,. The 2nd sheet has started to feed, and the amount it has fed seems to vary between 6" and 8" of paper fed past the feed pickup. 

I removed and cleaned the pickup roller and it seemed to help, as it does it less often, but it still happens. I have yet to take it any further apart, as it could use a good cleaning, but I figured I would ask if anyone had any suggestions first. I have had this printer quite a while (obviously) and while there are other printers in my house, inkjet and laser, this is still my first choice. So I would actually like to fix it. Could a dirty sensor in the paper path or loose sensor on a door cause this ? 

Thanks

Jack

[Repairatrooper]

If cleaning the roller helps a little it may just be that the roller has reached the end of it's serviceable life and may require replacement. The other issue that can create similar issues is when the pickup solenoid gets sticky and causes the printer to rotate the pickup roller several times for one page which can result in pages being fed at the wrong time and causing jams that way.

[Valsimot · Accepted solution]

As mentioned above, smells like a sticky solenoid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XEzMNJV8vw