HP LaserJet 4L prints too light. Solution?

[John39]

Using my HP 4L, a normal Word Document prints light, but when text is set to "Bold" prints OK. Before I buy a new toner cartridge, it this the most likely solution?

 

[Ralston18]

What does bold print look like when you have set the text to "bold" to get "prints OK.?

Try changing a few of the settings to get things back to normal. Both in Word and on the printer...

Probably the best approach is to run the test pages to see how they turn out.

Also I remember removing and shaking the cartridges a bit would help get better print results when the cartridge was low.

 

[John39]

What does bold print look like when you have set the text to "bold" to get "prints OK.?

Try changing a few of the settings to get things back to normal. Both in Word and on the printer...

Probably the best approach is to run the test pages to see how they turn out.

Also I remember removing and shaking the cartridges a bit would help get better print results when the cartridge was low.

Printing the "Windows Printer Test Page" gives some text lines very light while others are somewhat darker.
Printing the test page contained in the 4L (by pushing the blue switch) gives dark graphics, but the "26 Scalable Typefaces" table prints too lightly the non-Bd items. On the same page under "Printer Information", among other settings I see "Density" set to 3. Perhaps I'll increase this setting, although since I bought the printer many years ago, I've never changed any settings..

 

[Ralston18]

Worth trying for sure.

As the printers age, components are affected. Could be that the charge used to place the toner on the paper is getting weaker. I.e., toner does not "stick" and thus less toner is fused in.

You might be able to find the technical repair manual online somewhere - just as a reference source for further troubleshooting. Maybe a flow charted procedure that will help you identify the specific cause.

 

[John39]

Worth trying for sure.

As the printers age, components are affected. Could be that the charge used to place the toner on the paper is getting weaker. I.e., toner does not "stick" and thus less toner is fused in.

You might be able to find the technical repair manual online somewhere - just as a reference source for further troubleshooting. Maybe a flow charted procedure that will help you identify the specific cause.

 

[John39]

Changing Print Density via Windows "Printer" software from 3 to 4 has yielded a very slight improvement on the Windows printer test page. However there are still noticeable differences in print density from line to line.

How can Print Density be set when the printer if "Off Line", when the printer blue switch is pressed to print the printer's internally generated test page? The test page is still showing under "Printer Information" as Density 3.

 

[hang-the-9]

Try new toner, issue may also be the fuser or something else in the printer, but toner first. 4L is a pretty old printer, instead of buying new toner you may want to look at replacing it instead. If the toner is not the issue, you will have an old printer that does not work well along with new toner for an obsolete printer.