I just saw this...

[John R. Sellers]

I kinda doubt it's validity cuz o' the eddress it's from - it doesn't look
real:

From: (e-mail address removed)
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 07:34:57 EST
Subject: CPU Fan Problem
To: (e-mail address removed)

I have a Dell Dimension 2350 Series.

Ok, here's the situation:

This morning, my CPU fan had a mild "whine" in it. It's been doing this for
about a month. I have new CPU fan, so I asked my stepfather to install it
(I'm physically unable to do this). He took out the fan assembly to replace
it, but the new fan was not the right size, so he put some oil in the
current fan, and put the whole thing back in the computer. Now, the fan
sounds worse than I did before he took it out. I told him about it, and he
said that there's nothing else he can do about it.

www.newegg.com has several fans and heatsinks at low prices,
including the 70mm size you mentioned, which is common for AMD
Athlon processors. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a fan-heatsink
combination because Newegg often includes free shipping with them.

Fans rarely become noisier when oiled, unless they're oiled way too
much or with the wrong lubricant (grease, silicone oil, WD-40).
Light machine oil, nothing over 10 weight, is fine. Ball bearings
are usually sealed and can't be lubed, but some in the rear are
unsealed and should not be lubed except with greast.. The
bearing type can be determined by peeling off the rear label of
the fan. If there's a rubber plug in the center then the rear bearing
is definitely sleeve, but otherwise it could be ball. A circular clip
holds the shaft in place, and if the bearing under it is copper
colored
it's sleeve, while silver means ball, and other colors, usually white,
indicate ceramic, which usually shouldn't be oiled. A few metal
sleeve bearings are the spiral groove type that pump oil inside
and then around the outside, and opening these up can cause an
oil spill. Someone said that fans made with one ball and one sleeve
bearing can't have the sleeve lubricated, but I've never found that
to be true. Also noise may not be caused by bearings but by
thrust washers (metal or plastic) that need lubrication, are dirty,
or are worn.

 

[Chance]

I kinda doubt it's validity cuz o' the eddress it's from - it doesn't look
real:

From: (e-mail address removed)
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 07:34:57 EST
Subject: CPU Fan Problem
To: (e-mail address removed)

/cut/

What are you implying? There are all kinds of adresses
people can put. It doesn't have to be real.
Does (e-mail address removed)
sound real, for example? The guy whoever sent it must've
typed a fake adress.

 

[kony]

I kinda doubt it's validity cuz o' the eddress it's from - it doesn't look
real:

From: (e-mail address removed)
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 07:34:57 EST
Subject: CPU Fan Problem
To:

You will receive less spam by not posting your email address.

Most of that info was (more or less) correct, though a light, 10 wt oil is
not what should be used for sleeve-bearing fans. The lubricant has to
stay in the bearing to work, and 10 wt is too thin, will run out and allow
the shaft to "slap around" in the bearingway, furthering wear.

When a high quality fan is new, 10 wt might be ok, but by the time the fan
has worn, is making noise prompting the lube, 30 wt. (or the equivalent,
10W30 is common automotive motor oil that while 10 wt, is thickened to act
like 30 wt) is a far better choice. For more worn or crude, low-tolerance
fans, or fans in a non-vertical mounting position, even thicker oil is
preferred, closer to 80 wt gear oil.

When a fan is properly (re)lubed, it "might" easily continue working
longer than from the first lube, but many sleeve-bearing fans are used in
higher heat locations, like power supply exhaust, where the heat will
drastically reduce their lifespan, so a dual ball-bearing fan is called
for.