HP LaserJet P3005 - Noisy, Grinding, Clicking, Rumbling

The Hewlett Packard LaserJet P3005 commonly suffers from noises from the back of the printer. These can range from a rhythmic rumbling noise to a loud grinding or clicking noise. It's caused by either the fuser or the fuser drive gears.

UPDATE

If your LaserJet P3005 is suffering from the worn fuser bush problem, HP will now replace the fuser free of charge until 1st July 2013 if the printer has printed less than 150,000 pages.
See this update:

HP LaserJet P3005 – Noisy, Grinding, Clicking – Update

Removing the fuser and drive gears for inspection is fairly easy:

1. Open the rear door and pull it open past it's stops
2. Remove two screws
3. Open, or remove, the paper tray
4. Open the flap at the bottom of the rear cover, release the two clips at the bottom and pull the rear cover out
5. Remove the I/O cover (rear left hand cover)
6. Unplug the cable on the left hand side of the fuser from the power supply and remove it from the cable clip
7. Unplug the two cables coming from the right hand side ofthe fuser and release one cable clip
8. Release the two clips on the duplex inlet guide (black plastic guide) and slide it out of the back of the printer
9. Remove four screws and pull the fuser out
10. Look inside the left hand side of the printer and you will see four gears
11. Unclip the top gear at the back of the printer and the gear below it will slide off
12. Remove the plastic clip holding the upper gear further forward in place and slide off this gear and the one below it

 Remember how these gears go back onto the printer. When you refit the back cover, fit the top into place first.

Inspect the teeth of the four gears for wear. Sometimes, it's hard to see, but you might feel a ridge if you slide a small flat blade along the teeth of the gears. If your printer is getting progressively noisier with a rumbling type of sound, it's probably one or more of these gears worn.

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These are the part numbers for the gears:

RU5-0956-000CN, RU5-0957-000CN, RU5-0958-000CN, and RU5-0959-000CN.

Usually, the only gear you will need to replace is the lower one towards the front, the 20 tooth gear RU5-0957-000CN.

Don't forget to put some grease on the new gears.

There are two things to check on the fuser.

 First check the light brown coloured gear. Check the teeth for wear.

Second, check the green plastic bush that the metal shaft rotates in. Push upwards firmly on the gear. If there is excessive movement, the bush is worn. You might also see green powder sitting on the bottom of the fuser. The worn bush will cause a loud clicking noise as the gears are being forced apart as they turn.

The part numbers for the fuser are:

RM1-3740-030CN For 110-127 VAC and RM1-3741-030CN For 220 VAC to 240 VAC.

Hewlett Packard P3005 Fuser

If you have to do the repair yourself, you will need a fuser:
RM1-3740-030CN - Fusing assembly - For 110-127 VAC
RM1-3741-030CN - Fusing assembly - For 220 VAC to 240 VAC

RU5-0957-000CN

You will also need:
RU5-0957-000CN - Gear - 20-tooth - Goes on the fuser drive assembly

BSH-P3005-PL

You can save some money if you are able to dismantle the fuser and replace the two bushes, assuming the rest of the fuser is ok.
BSH-P3005-PL Bushing Pressure Roller Left

BSH-P3005-PR

and
BSH-P3005-PR Bushing Pressure Roller Right

RM1-3740-FM3

The only other thing you might need if you are reparing the fuser is the fuser film sleeve. These sometimes get torn.
RM1-3740-FM3 - Fuser Film Sleeve