Replacing the GUIDE, FILM part in Rack 1 (CD)
Part name: GUIDE, FILM Part number: A239395-01 (there are two identical ones per rack) Where it’s used: Rack 1 (CD), mounted in the plastic comb/holder C102717-01 Source: Noritsu QSF parts list, section 19 “RACK (No.1)”, p. 53
This is the small plastic “fork” piece with two prongs that clips into the rack.
1. Where it sits in the rack
The circled area below is the section of Rack 1 where this part lives — a comb-shaped plastic holder mounted between two roller/gear pairs, roughly in the middle length of the rack.
2. What it looks like, close up
There are two of these parts side by side in the same holder (comb), pointing in opposite directions — one loose in the diagram and one already seated in the comb. Both are the same part, A239395-01.
3. The part on its own
This is the actual shape of one part: a narrow base with two long prongs (“whiskers”). This is what you’re looking for when you pull the rack apart — a small forked piece, not a roller, not a gear.
4. What it does
The two prongs press lightly against the film/leader card as it passes between two roller pairs and spring back after — think of it as a small pivoting finger, not a fixed guide. Its job is to keep the film/card pressed into the roller path at the handoff point between one roller pair and the next, where the film is briefly not gripped by either pair.
5. What goes wrong with it, and why it matters
| Condition | Result |
|---|---|
| One or both prongs snapped off | Film/leader card is no longer held in the channel at this point — it can drift sideways, skew, or jam right here at the handoff between roller pairs. This is a direct, repeatable cause of jams at this exact spot in the rack. |
| Spring/pivot worn out, part stays pushed in or won’t move | If it stays deflected: no more pressure on the film, card can wander and jam. If it stays stuck outward (won’t yield): it physically blocks the film path — guaranteed jam every single run. |
| Cracked at the base from a previous forced jam removal | If a leader card was ever yanked out by force here, the prongs can crack or bend at the base without snapping off completely — this becomes a repeat jam point even after the original stuck card is gone. |
| Fully broken/snapped prong | The broken-off piece can fall between nearby rollers/gears further down the rack and cause secondary damage there, not just loss of guiding function. |
Bottom line: if a leader card or film keeps jamming at the same spot in Rack 1, check these two parts first — a hairline crack at the base or a spring that no longer returns is a very common, easy-to-miss cause.
Since this part is a common failure point and Noritsu doesn’t sell it separately in most regions, a 3D-printable replacement for the GUIDE, FILM part is available as a free download:
6. Replacement procedure
Do this with the rack already removed from the tank (drained, lifted out — see the Rack 1 stuck leader card write-up if you haven’t done that part yet).
- Locate the comb (C102717-01) — the ribbed plastic piece between two roller/gear pairs (see the wide photo in section 1).
- Find the part’s base where it seats into the comb — it clips onto a small tab/post molded into the comb body, no screw involved.
- Pry gently at the base, not the prongs — the prongs are thin and snap easily, the base is the sturdy part. A small flat screwdriver under the base, levering it off the tab, is usually enough.
- If it resists, check whether it’s caught on a neighboring roller — you may need to nudge that roller pair aside slightly for clearance (same as during general rack teardown).
- Pull the old part free.
- Orient the new part the same way the old one was seated (base toward the comb, prongs facing into the film path).
- Press the base back onto the comb’s tab until it clicks/seats fully.
- Test it with a finger — push the prongs in, they should spring back on their own. If it stays pushed in, or doesn’t move at all, it’s not seated correctly — pull it and reseat it.
- Repeat for the second part if you’re replacing both.
7. After reinstalling
- Turn the nearby rollers by hand (via their gear) — the part should flex out of the way as the roller surface passes and spring back, with no binding.
- Make sure the prongs don’t rub against a neighboring roller/gear when at rest — if they do, it’s not seated right.
- Reinstall the rack, refill the CD tank, close everything up.
- Run the official leader card passing test (QSF operator’s manual, Basic, §3.1.10) before feeding real film. If the card jams again at the same spot, the comb (C102717-01) itself may also be cracked and need replacing — not just the prong part.