Single vertical line problem on 3800- Please Help!

[scott_dobry]

I'm using the Epson P3800 with Museo Silver Rag.  

I've done the clog checks and the alignment checks which both appear to come out fine.  I'm using the "wider" setting for the platen gap and a paper thickness of 4.
 
Despite that, I always get what appears to be a single hairline "scratch" down the exact same part of the print.  The scratch is always the same but it is not uniform across the page top to bottom.  When I print on Epson Luster this defect is not present.

I'm using the word scratch because if you look at the print on an angle in the light, you do see a very very very light "scratch".

Suggestions?  I'm getting frustrated and I hate wasting another sheet of that expensive paper!

Thanks.

[madmanchan]

Are you sure the marks/scratches aren't uniformly spaced? It sounds like you're seeing pizza wheel marks on the print -- the marks due to the "pizza wheel" ejection roller mechanism on the printer when using the Auto Sheet Feed or the Rear Feed.

I assume you're using the Rear Feed?

[scott_dobry]

Hi Eric,

I am using rear manual feed.  When you say uniform, uniform in what direction?

I'm pretty sure this isn't the pizza wheel (which I have seen before as those series of micro dots running vertically on the print).  

This is a sharp super-fine hair line.  It appears 3 1/8" in from the left on a letter-sized vertically oriented print.  The line starts to appear about 1.5 inches into the print, runs for about 1.5 inches, then fades to nothing for about 1.5 inches, then reappears and fades in this pattern to the end.  It is the only line and it always presents in the exact same way.

Is "wider" the largest platen gap size?  Also, should I try a larger paper thickness size?

[madmanchan]

What are you using for Paper Thickness in the driver? The box should say how thick MSR is ... e.g., if it's 0.38 mm then enter 4 into the Paper Thickness setting.

I always set the Platen Gap to Wide. You're sure the scratches aren't there before the printing begins, right?

[scott_dobry]

You're sure the scratches aren't there before the printing begins, right?
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You hit the nail on the head.  Just prior to your post, I heard from Crane and they also suggested looking at the unprinted stock left in the box and voila, the scratches are there indicating a manufacturer's defect.  We are currently working something out.

Thanks for you help.  This place rocks.

Scott