Why Does My Epson Printer Make a Grinding Noise Only During Vertical Printing?

Question: My Epson printer makes an awful grinding sound, but only when printing in vertical format (like photos or borderless printing). There's no paper jam, and regular printing works fine. What could be causing this?

Answer:

Common Causes of Grinding Noises During Vertical Printing on Epson Printers

Based on your description, the grinding sound occurs only when printing vertically, likely during full-page prints, borderless printing, or specific photo printing tasks. Since horizontal/standard prints work fine and there's no paper jam, this suggests a mechanical strain or alignment issue that only becomes apparent during the different motion demands of vertical printing.

1. Carriage Rail and Printhead Friction

During vertical or borderless printing, the carriage (printhead assembly) may move differently or faster than during everyday printing. If the carriage rail is dry or dirty, the added strain can create friction or even cause the printhead to jerk, producing a grinding sound.

Solution:

• Clean the carriage rail with a lint-free cloth and apply a drop of synthetic oil or lightweight machine oil. Avoid over-oiling.

• Check for resistance or uneven movement by manually sliding the printhead (with the printer off).

2. Encoder Strip Issues

The encoder strip is a transparent plastic strip located behind the printhead, which helps the printer detect its position. If this strip is dirty, misaligned, or loose, especially on one side, it can lead to misreads, causing the printhead to jerk or grind when making more demanding vertical movements.

Solution:

• Gently clean the encoder strip with a soft, lint-free cloth and a bit of isopropyl alcohol.

• Ensure it’s properly centered and tensioned.

3. Paper Feed Rollers or PF Motor Gears

Vertical printing may require higher tension on the paper feed rollers or the PF (Paper Feed) motor, especially when printing edge-to-edge or with heavier photo paper. Worn gears or a slipping timing belt can cause grinding under these specific conditions.

Solution:

• Open the rear access panel and inspect the paper feed gears for worn teeth or plastic shavings.

• Observe whether the rollers rotate smoothly or if the belt is loose and skips under tension.

4. Backlash or Gear Slack

Mechanical play, or backlash, in the transmission system (such as gear-to-gear contact or belt tension) may not be noticeable during simple tasks, but becomes problematic during complex ones, like vertical printing. Over time, worn gears create extra space between teeth, leading to slippage and noise.

5. Model-Specific Behaviors

Some Epson models (like the ET-2760, XP-4100, and L-series) are more prone to rail friction or gear wear during borderless printing due to their compact design. If you share your specific model, we can point you to exact videos or repair notes.

To explore grinding noises further, we recommend visiting our YouTube channel homepage [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies] and using the search icon located next to the "About" tab. Type in terms like “grinding,” “rail,” or “PF motor” for focused videos.

Note on Epson Error Codes:
Although you didn't mention an error code, grinding noises sometimes precede or accompany error codes like 0x97, 0x10, or 031006, each of which points to mechanical or communication faults. If any code pops up, note it and search for it specifically.

A Final Note on Support

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, it may take a few weeks before we can arrange for your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either the whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be the most efficient approach. Additionally, YouTube may suggest relevant videos from other channels that can assist you.

Thanks again for reaching out, and thank you for being part of the BCH Technologies community! Your involvement helps us help more people. Let us know if you discover more details about your model or symptoms.