Home > Support > Installing a new toner cartridge

Installing a new toner cartridge and fuser cleaner

Lexmark Optra S, Se, T61X, T62X, T63X, T64X, T52X and M41X laser printers

All laser printer toner cartridges should be handled with care: they are not made of glass but they are not designed to be thrown around or tipped upside down. The internal components are fragile and can be dislodged or broken by shock: do not drop the cartridge. If the cartridge is tipped sideways or upside down, the toner in the toner reservoir can escape into other sections of the cartridge and spoil the product. The cartridge box is labelled This side up and this instruction should be followed. Whenever you insert or remove the cartridge from the printer, do so gently and then close the door of the printer gently. This will avoid damaging the cartridge and the LCD panel mounted on the front door.

Some Lexmark cartridges come with a hinged flap to cover and protect the photoconductor drum when the cartridge is removed from the printer. The flap itself can damage the drum if you allow it to slam shut. Some Lexmark cartridges do not have such a flap and the drum is exposed to light and can be easily scratched. When you open a new cartridge box, you will find that these cartridges are usually wrapped in a protective foam layer. This is how the manufacturer intends that they should be treated. In summary:

Avoid damaging the cartridge by rough handling or by dropping it.
Avoid damaging the drum by leaving the cartridge exposed to bright sunlight.
Avoid damaging the drum by placing the cartridge down on a rough or uneven surface.

Avoid damaging the drum by allowing the protective drum shutter (if present) to slam shut.

You should remember these points the next time you are in a hurry to clear a paper jam! Cartridges are easily damaged and expensive to replace; so are the LCD control panels mounted on the front door.

Check the printer periodically for any signs of leaking toner: Do not continue to use a leaking cartridge. Whenever you install a new cartridge (or you notice deterioration in print quality) you should clean the Primary Charge Roller (PCR) as described here

1. Turn the printer off. Open the upper front door of the printer by releasing the blue catch on the left hand side. Grasp the toner cartridge by the hand grip. Use two hands to pull equally on both sides. Pull upwards and outwards at an angle of about 45 degrees. Do not try to pull the cartridge straight out: lift upwards first to release the locking mechanism or you may break the cartridge. Remove the toner cartridge from the printer.
2. Check for any signs of spilt toner inside the printer. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any excessive amounts of spilt toner. Obtain a clean, lint free cloth eg a micro-fibre cloth. Clean inside the printer by gently wiping the areas shaded in the diagram. Wipe towards the front of the printer. Do not touch the transfer roller (see diagram). You can use methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol to remove stubborn toner residues. Remove and clean the Primary Charge Roller (PCR) as described in the section: Does your printer need a service at the end of this Catalogue.
3. Open the new cartridge box and remove the cartridge from the black plastic cover. Keep the cartridge horizontal. Protect the photoconductor drum from being scratched; protect it from bright light. If present, remove the red, V shaped, plastic packaging strip from the cartridge by pulling on each end. Gently shake the cartridge from side-to-side to distribute the toner evenly in the barrel of the cartridge. Check there is no sign of toner leaking from the cartridge. If so, return the cartridge to the supplier for replacement.
4. Install the print cartridge. Align the sides of the cartridge with the slots on the cradle inside the printer. Align the arrows on the ends of the cartridge with the corresponding arrows on the insides of the printer. Slide the cartridge into the printer, gently. Close the door, gently. You might record the date and the page count on a label attached to the cartridge.
5. Remove the fuser cover. It is located at the top of the printer, below the paper exit. Push the recessed thumb area towards the fan and press upwards at the same time. Remove the fuser cover. You will then see the fuser cleaner ? a black or brown plastic strip sitting on top of the fuser roller. Lift up the fuser cleaner by its handle and remove it from the printer. The fuser roller may be hot: do not touch it. Check that the Teflon coating on the hot roller is not scratched or worn; check the coating has not turned blue as a result of overheating. Install an exchange fuser if necessary.
6. Examine the felt strip insert in the fuser cleaner. Check that toner is not baked onto the felt in large, continuous patches. If so, you may have had a toner leak: blow-out or vacuum the fuser to remove spilt toner and paper dust. The white felt strip can be removed (pull it out) and reversed if necessary. You should find a new fuser cleaner in the box with the new cartridge. Remove the plastic wrapping and insert the fuser cleaner into the slot on top of the fuser roller.
7. Replace the fuser cover. Insert the end near the fan first. Snap it shut. Print several test pages to check the functioning of the cartridge. Check the print quality: the print should be of uniform darkness and there should not be any blobs or streaks of toner. Adjust the print darkness if necessary in the Quality Menu (Control Panel). Check for any evidence of leaking toner.