Noisy CPU fan

Any cures for a noisy CPU fan, apart from a replacement ?

Reply to
fred
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If it's a standard desktop fan, just replace it - they're cheap enough. They can be oiled but rarely works for long.

Reply to
Scott M

If a quick clean a drop of WD40 doesn't fix it then replace ASAP.

Bearings are probably about to fail and a CPU with a stalled fan doesn't last very long before it overheats. The chip dissipation has a power density that is roughly the same as the tip of a soldering iron.

Reply to
Martin Brown

I squirted WD40 in the crack between the fan hub and the motor base. Fixed it, running OK now

Reply to
harryagain

Unless its something very special, replace it with a quality ball bearing fan. (you can just swap the fan rather than the whole heatsink if you like)

Reply to
John Rumm

Unless its something very special, replace it with a quality ball bearing fan. (you can just swap the fan rather than the whole heatsink if you like)

Reply to
John Rumm

Unless its something very special, replace it with a quality ball bearing fan. (you can just swap the fan rather than the whole heatsink if you like)

Reply to
John Rumm

It's a lubricant, solvent and moisture dispersent.

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Reply to
harryagain

BTW, WD40 is a solvent, *not* a really lubricant. It'll wash away lubricants.

Reply to
Bod

Peel off the sticker and add a drop of light oil to the end of the bearing. That'll give it a bit more life.

But it will not last that much longer, so replacement is best longer term.

Reply to
Tim Watts

I've certainly rejuvenated a totally seized-up ridged PSU fan by re-lubricating it. The first time, I used WD40, but after a couple of years, and although it was still running OK, I decided I'd better re-do it with 3-in-1.

After its initial seizing, the fan had at least 6 years daily use - and although that PC was essentially pensioned off a couple of years ago, it still works fine when I give it the occasional boot up for old-time's sake.

The trouble is that it's often difficult to get a replacement fan which is both quiet and can shift at least the same amount of air, so I've also re-lubricated a few other fans (including CPU) that sounded a bit noisy, or simply 'just in case'.

Reply to
Ian Jackson

We've had this argument before. For the true story, simply Google "WD40".

Reply to
Ian Jackson

I use WD40 to wash out the dried lubricant and clean up the bearing, before re-oiling it (with oil, not WD40).

Note that this is a short term fix only. This happens when the original oil which is soaked in to the phosphor bronze bearing has dried up, and you can't get new oil into it - the pores are all blocked with dried gunk, so you're limited by the small amount of oil you can get to coat the surface.

If the bearing has run dry long enough to wear the hole, it's not going to be even temporarily repairable.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

A colleague used to repair fans on Tektronics 'scopes by soaking the bearing in 3-in-one oil over a weekend. It gave it time for the oil to get properly absorbed.

Reply to
charles

WD40 isn't ideal, it's not designed to be a long term lubricant.

Use 3-in-1 oil or something similar.

Reply to
cl

No, replace it.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

During manufacture, the bearing and oil are heated to reduce viscocity, and it goes through a vacuum cycle under oil (possibly more than one) to help force the oil into the bearing. You could try to mimic that. However, I suspect the pores themselves will already be compromised if you are starting with a dried out bearing.

Geoff (CTL) has mentioned what the oil is because he uses it, but it is only available in large containers so not viable unless you are doing loads of them.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

In message , harryagain writes

Yikes!

The proper way is to remove the fan, peel off the 'spec' label at the centre (hub?), prise out the rubber plug to reveal the bearing and the end of the spindle, and add a single drop of oil.

If possible, power up the fan to encourage the oil to spread into the bearing. Beware that, if you've over-oiled it, it will probably splatter oil all over the place, so first wrap and an old cloth or some tissue paper loosely around the fan.

If the oil in the bearing seems to have disappeared, you might chance a second drop - but don't overdo it.

If all seems well, clean all traces of oil from the face of the hub, insert the rubber plug (which will probably cause a little oil to be exuded), re-clean the face of the hub, and re-stick the spec label. [If the label has been damaged, cut some duct tape to the same size, and stick that on first. This will prevent any oil seeping out.]

Again, power up the fan, and check that oil isn't being sprayed around (if it is, you'll need to clean things up), then refit. With luck, it will give you several further years of trouble-free service.

Reply to
Ian Jackson

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