First, and foremost. I am looking for "human" answers. Preferable someone who knows a bit about printers. Not a human, asking AIs for answers. Trust me, when I tell you, they are utterly confused about this belt. The following were all the names provided by various AIs.

1. CR Transmission Belt, 2. Carriage Timing Belt, 3. Belt, Slip Paper Feed, 4. Slip Belt, 5. Timing Belt, 6. Pump Motor Belt, 7. Pump Drive Belt, 8. Carriage Drive Belt, 9. PF (Paper Feed) Encoder Belt, 10. PF (Paper Feed) Drive Belt. 11. PF Motor Belt, 12. Scanner Drive Belt

One of them, may very well be the name of this belt, but I just don't care. I just want to know what it's function is, and where it 'GOES".

Now, while trouble shooting my printer, I found a PURPLE BELT, sitting inside the carriage. But from whence it came, I do not know.

I had multiple issues while trying to change my ink cartridges. During which, the belt appeared.

1. I got an incompatible ink error

2. An error, that I was told 'indicated a paper jam. Which was ludicrous, because there was no paper in the rack at all.

3. It stopped reading the ink cartridges, all together.

4. Some ink, under where the ink casing rests, so I blotted it dry.

5. I tried to run it again a few times.

That is when I moved the ink carriage to check for more ink, and there it was.

It was obviously attached somewhere, because of the shape. The belt had a distinct shape (e.g. a larger-to-smaller pulley ratio). Meaning, it was attached to a larger and a smaller pulley. (in between, it seemed that it went 'under' something.) With a little wear, but not broken/ cracked.

Before you go there, THIS belt is obviously NOT the belt that runs the entire width of the printer (which has grooves). MY PURPLE BELT HAS NO GROOVES.

My Belt, is approx. 4 inch long, 1/4 inch wide, and thin, just like a thicker rubber band.

What stumps me, is that all the the pulleys "that I can see', have no gaps in between the gears, for a belt to have slipped off. So, what I need to know is, where it goes.

Also, all instruction directed to a 'side panel' that comes off. Umm NO! On MY printer. The whole outer casing has to be removed, in order to get the the inner right side, where the pulleys are. And even then, access it hindered.

If you know the function of this belt, and WHERE it goes on my printer, then I would appreciate a reply.

If you do not, then please just pass this one by. Not trying to be rude, just exhausted from dealing with baffled AIs. My printer is in pieces, and I am wishing I still had the brain of a 50 year old.

Cheers

⟐ Answered January 25, 2026 at 20:19 MST