X300 fan died, possible to replace fan only, not heatsink?

[Insomniac1971]

Hi people, the noisy fan in my X300 died the other day, Fan error, every time I turn it ON. So I took everything apart today and cleaned everything, repasted the heatsink with artic silver - replaced the speakers, with some I had in spare from another laptop - and put everything back together again. Fan still dead.

Speakers work though

I have found a lot of replacement fans with heatsink for very expensive prices, my question is if its possible to just replace the fan, since that is the only thing that died?

In case it is possible, which part/fru/model numbers should I look for?

And how difficult is it to do, is there a risc of breaking something?

I live in the Philippines.


With kind regards

Jan

[axur-delmeria]

Did you try lubricating the fan?

[Insomniac1971]

Hi Axur,

actually I didn't do that, last time I did that the fan burned out after a few months. But that was many years ago and on a much older ThinkPad and I used sewing machine oil(ultrafine oil).

What lubricant are referring too, sewing machine oil or some silicone gel(can't remember the name)?

[axur-delmeria]

Sewing machine oil, though there are some posts elsewhere in this forum that suggest automatic transmission fluid. Managed to extend the lifetime of an X61's fan (at least 1 year, probably closer to two).

[Insomniac1971]

How about this https://shopee.ph/product/194608681/125 ... 62421993.9

or this

https://shopee.ph/product/132650089/298 ... 62422095.9

or this

https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/seju ... 50778.html

Which one is better or do you have a. much better suggestion?

[axur-delmeria]

I haven't tried those lubricants in syringes. You're free to try them.

I've applied Singer oil on laptop fans using a syringe from the local drugstore, then dabbed a cotton swab to absorb the excess oil.

Regarding disassembly instructions, click the "HMM" link just below the site banner, then search for "X300". The Hardware Maintenance Manual contains the necessary disassembly instructions, and for older models like the X300, includes the parts list as well. The heatsink assembly with fan is FRU 42X5067. I don't think there's a separate FRU for the fan itself.

[Insomniac1971]

Thank you, I already have the HWM, I always download that when getting a ThinkPad

Regarding the fan and heatsink , I already found a lot of part and fru numbers 44C0747, 42X5067, MCF-220PAM05, but were asking about the fan itself. I know Lenovo doesn't make those, so maybe Delta or another oem.

If anyone else could provide that information it would be nice

The design of the X300, where you have to take out the mainboard in order to get to the fan, is kinda stupid, so many things can happen, and not something I want to do often.

Maybe other owners of ThinkPad X300 could chip in here

[piledriver]

I had same issue when I got mine, and had to replace it again a few years later.
I read the part# off the fan and ordered that.
(quitting smoking helped a lot)

First time bought the whole heat pipe etc arrangement (already had new fan)
second time, dropped the new fan on the spare hsf assy and swapped.
You could probably just swap the fan but you still have to pull the motherboard.
Get a Sunon Maglev fan if possible.

This stuff used to be cheap and available, but I had to get stuff from china recently for my x200T...
... was able to get good fan on a used motherboard and a real cpu/wifi/lower case upgrade in 3 days for less.

Use a good diamond heatsink paste and make certain you don't bend anything.
or at least get some new thermal pads.
Make note of screw lengths when you take them out...