Color Laserjet 3600 print streaking

[electricroger]

I have a HP CLJ3600 printer which I have been using successfully to print labels for several years from tray 2.  I now find that there is a streak about 2cm from the right edge and about 7-10mm wide where the toner does not seem to have fused properly, resulting in smearing and blank streaks.  When I print from tray 1 all is fine, but the first few pages are streaked on the back and on the opposite side.  Any ideas how I can sort this please

[davidzuts]

Go to the diagnostics menu of the printer and print the pq troubleshooting pages.  Read the instructions on the first page. Most time image issues with streaking is caused by a defective toner cartridge.  If not the cartridge and since you have been printing labels it is possible the transfere belt (black belt when you open the front cover) has either torn or has a label stuck to it.  Keep in mind you only see one side of the belt when you open the toner door.  You need to move the belt carefully  using the edges with your thumbs to get to the other side.  If the belt is torn it needs to be replaced.  If something stuck to the label it needs to be removed very carefully.  I usually use a product called bestine to clean the belt. If not the belt, then the fuser may have an issue.

[electricroger]

Thanks for your reply davidzuts. 

All the pq troubleshooting pages are OK, but yellow and magenta toner is low (741 and 666 pages)  The thing that confuses me is that the labels print OK fom tray 1 but not from tray 2?

Transfer belt looks good.

[davidzuts]

Labels should always be done from the manual tray anyway.  If regular paper works fine from tray 2, then just use the printer the way it supposed to be used.  Tray 1 for labels.  If having issues with regular paper in tray 2, then post a sample so we can see what is happening.

[electricroger]

Hi davidzuts.

Labels below.  Thanks again for your help.

[davidzuts]

Print the same sheet using plain paper from tray 2 and tell us if it does the same thing.  Also make 2 copies at the same time so it uses both sides of the transfer belt.  It is very possible you have label material or something else stuck on one side of the transfer belt which can cause the defect every other page.  If it happens with plain paper, the turn the printer off, open the top cover and remove the fuser and inspect the left side of the fuser and the opening going to the fuser as it looks like something is removing the toner in a small area on that one side of the sheet.  Also inspect the drums of all toner cartridges on the left side since it is the left side as the printer is printing is where the defect is occuring.  If any toner cartridge has an issue it will probably be the black since it is last in line.  You can also put the printer in diagnostics mode, disable cartridge check and when it say ready diagnostics mode, open the toner door and remove the black toner and then print the same label sheet with the toner in the printer.  See if that same area is still missing toner with that streak.  If it is, then it has to be coming from the fuser area and if not missing, then the black toner cartridge has an issue again on the left side.  The right side of the printed page is printed on the left side when it goes thru the printer.

[electricroger]

Hi again.

The defect does not occur with plain paper but reappears with the labels.  The labels are a plastic material called polylaser designed for laser printers and I have been using them for many years.  The plain paper printout is poor, having cyan majenta and black dots at about 27mm intervals.

I have looked at the fuser, transfer belt and all cartridges but can see no problems except that the transfer belt looks dirty with many small adhesions.