Digital BW, The Print

There are various sources of repetitive "ticking" or "grunting" noises
that the 3800 makes on each head pass. Some are normal and can be
safely ignored; others are not. 

As pointed out above, it's normal for the ink ribbons connecting the
print head to the ink carts to "snap" as the print head changes
direction with each pass. These ribbons might even snap against the
side of the printer; that's fine.

The print head may be touching the edge of the sheet. That's called a
head strike, and can be avoided by (1) increasing the platen gap,
preferably via the software driver, (2) making sure the sheet isn't
curled "upwards" before feeding it, and/or (3) avoiding printing
within 1" of the top or bottom edge of the sheet. I now use Platen Gap
= Wide for all my prints and haven't had a head strike in months.

The print head may be crashing into the walls of the printer itself.
If so, this is a mechanical defect in your unit -- this can
potentially be a serious problem (damage to the print head) and should
be taken care of by calling Epson Pro Support (they will likely
replace your unit).

Eric