Epson ET-8550 Duplexer Paper Jam: Three Tabs Catching the Sheet
- By Ellen @BCHTechnologies
- On Oct 24, 2026
- Comment 0
Question:
On my Epson ET-8550, paper catches on three small black teeth above the large gray roller near the duplex unit. Would replacing the duplex unit fix it?
Answer:
Thank you for contacting BCH Technologies. I am sorry for the delayed reply. Printer problems are urgent, and we want to give you a careful, detailed answer before recommending a part. Thank you for supporting BCH and our YouTube channel.
Replacing the duplex unit might solve this if a guide on the removable unit is broken or out of position. The three teeth you describe could also belong to the adjacent fixed frame. We cannot tell which part is responsible from the description alone, so buying a duplexer now could leave the jam unchanged.
Turn the ET-8550 off and unplug it. After it has stopped moving, follow the printer's instructions for accessing and removing the duplex unit. Use a light to look for a small paper scrap, foreign object, bent guide, or loose tab where the sheet catches. Compare the path on the removable unit with the opening in the printer. Do not force the black teeth, rollers, carriage, or gears, and do not run repeated feed tests while paper is snagging; that could damage the mechanism.
If the obstruction is clearly on the removable duplexer, a correctly matched replacement may be reasonable. If the teeth are part of the fixed frame or the problem remains after the accessible path is clear, the feed mechanism needs a closer inspection. Send a sharp photo of the three teeth and a short video showing where the leading edge stops. A technician can identify the contact point and check alignment before any part is ordered.
You can also search the BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies] for ET-8550 duplexer and paper-feed repairs. If the jam persists or a guide appears broken, contact BCH about an ET-8550 repair assessment [https://bchtechnologies.com/pages/printer-repair-service] before replacing parts. The linked video explains the area, but it does not confirm the cause in your printer.