Can the Mabuchi RS385PV13215RB Motor Be Used in an Epson ET-8550 Printer?

Question:
I came across your listing for the Mabuchi MOTOR RS385PV13215RB 00.EM-661 (https://bch-youtube-fan-store.myshopify.com/products/mabuchi-motor-rs385pv13215rb-00-em-661-carriage-return-cr-motor) and was wondering—would this work as a replacement or even an upgrade for the printhead carriage return (CR) motor on the Epson ET-8550?

Answer:

Now to your question: the OEM carriage return (CR) motor used in the Epson ET-8550 is a Mabuchi RS445PD15205BR 00.EM-514.B12. This is the factory-spec motor designed to control the printhead’s side-to-side movement across the printer.

You can find this OEM-spec motor on our site here:
RS445PD15205BR CR Motor for ET-8550 & Epson WF Series
(https://bchtechnologies.com/products/cr-printhead-carriage-return-motor-for-et-8550-et8550-epson-wf-series-rs445pd15205br-00-em-514-b12)

As for the RS385PV13215RB 00.EM-661 motor—it’s a different model and not the factory-installed unit for the ET-8550. Technically, the RS385 and RS445 motors have similar form factors, but the specifications can vary significantly when it comes to:

• Voltage rating

• RPM

• Torque curve

• Shaft length and diameter

• Mounting holes and connector layout

We have not tested the RS385PV13215RB in an ET-8550 ourselves, so we cannot guarantee compatibility or performance. That said, you can try it if you’re comfortable experimenting and understand the mechanical tolerances and electrical specs involved. It could function if the shaft matches and the printer’s firmware accepts the torque and movement profile without error—but it could also throw alignment errors or fail to initiate the CR sequence correctly.

So in short:

• Will it work? Possibly, but not guaranteed.

• Is it an upgrade? Unlikely—since the OEM part is already optimized for the ET-8550's mechanical and firmware settings.

• Recommended? For most users, we recommend sticking with the OEM motor (https://bchtechnologies.com/products/cr-printhead-carriage-return-motor-for-et-8550-et8550-epson-wf-series-rs445pd15205br-00-em-514-b12) to avoid compatibility issues.

Printer repairs, especially involving motors and movement systems, can be delicate and hands-on. Because of the complexity and potential risks, we’re unable to offer remote troubleshooting or installation support. However, we do offer in-person repair and diagnostics through our local service facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Please keep in mind that due to high demand, services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and there may be a wait of several weeks before your unit can be dropped off.

Our repair services cover both full printers and individual part replacements, with step-by-step guidance once we evaluate your printer. That said, we realize our repair rates may not be the most economical, which is why we encourage you to explore self-help resources online. For this, we recommend starting at our YouTube channel homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). You can search specific keywords or part numbers by clicking the search icon next to the “About” tab on our channel. With hundreds of videos produced over the years, this is the fastest way to find content that may answer your question—even if we don’t remember the exact video off-hand.

Thanks again for reaching out and for considering BCH for your printer component needs. If you do test the RS385 motor and have results to share, we’d love to hear back—it might help others in the community considering the same swap!