ImageWriter Problem...

[land@ (E.G. Land)]

	Believe it or not, picked up a brand new, in the box ImageWriter II
	for 25 bucks at a local thrift shop.

	Came with documents and everything, even the factory cardboard 
	retainer covering the roller shaft. 

	How the thing survived this long without ever being used is anybody's
	guess, but anyway here's the problem:

		I get the regularly flashing red error light when I turn it
	   	on. 

	According to the manual this indicates a loose cover or paper jam.
	Checked both, but no soap.

	I've noted this: the vertical spooler that sits directly behind the 
        right side paper guide screw seems to make a whirring sound just 
        as it twists the ink cassette up. It is then that the print head
	stops, and the red error light begins flashing. There's also a thin 
        orange/red ring at the top of this spooler that I'm wondering
	about. Because of its color and thinness, I'm wondering if it was
	left on at the factory by mistake. It seems out of place as a 
        permenant part of the print head/ink casette 
        platform/spooler assembly.        	
	   
	Any advice?