Posted by Shoshana/AZ on 2/4/13 11:24pm
Msg #454038

MY HP 1320 seems to be having issues

It's making strange noises and doesn't always grab the paper out of the paper tray.

Reply by Doris_CO on 2/4/13 11:46pm
Msg #454039

I have the 1320tn dual tray. It's had problems with picking up the letter size paper for years. I pull the tray out and use an electronic wipe (it's a wet wipe not a dry cloth) to wet down the roller and it works every time. The legal size paper tray never has problems. We've had very little moisture here so it's very dry and I think that's what affects the paper and the roller. I've had my printer since 2005 (bought it brand new) and it's also starting to make some noises.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 2/5/13 12:11am
Msg #454042

Are you talking about the roller in the very front? Or are there others?

Reply by Harry [NR] on 2/5/13 12:53am
Msg #454044

There's a good chance the pickup roller is bad. Pickup rollers, when new, are typically kind of a sticky, soft rubber. When the printer starts, they rotate and the paper is lifted into them, allowing them to push it into the printer. When the pickup rollers go bad, they can no longer grab the paper. A bad roller will generally be smoother than it was new. The rubber will be a bit harder and dried-out.

Replacing them is usually pretty easy. They're also relatively inexpensive. In your case, you're probably looking at about $10-$15 off of eBay. Note that the pickup rollers are often also sold with a separator pad, which would be a good idea to replace while you're at it. Of course, this is also speculation... Rollers seem to be the most frequent causes of jams, feed problems and strange noises (as the printer struggles to feed the paper), however.

Good luck.

Harry
Notary Rotary

Reply by Shelly_FL on 2/5/13 6:28am
Msg #454050

Do you fan your paper before filling the tray?

I do not own a HP. With my Brother, sometimes my bottom tray roller puts a crease at the middle top of the paper. Putting some air between the sheets always does the trick.

Over time the paper lint can build up under the roller at the front of the tray. I gently clean it out with a little brush to help keep the paper flowing.