Problems with replacing the infamous T43p fan

[diotapio]

I'm desperately trying to replace the fan on my Lenovo T43p, purchased 2.5 years ago. I've read tons of articles now about the fan noise and hints how to silence it, but in my case the fan has just about stopped rotating and makes a really loud noise.

The articles which have discussed the fan modifications or replacements have not mentioned anything about difficulty with removing the fan from the motherboard. I've read the hardware maintenance manual regarding this and it didn't hint about any problems with removing the fan.

In my case the fan is very firmly attached to the GPU (or whatever that smaller chip is). It looks like the fan would get off the CPU but is so stuck on the other chip that I simply cannot remove it. I've already got the replacement fan and would be ready to replace it, but this kinda prevents me from doing it

Does anyone have any hints how to proceed? My laptop came with 1 year warranty and I'd rather replace the fan myself than taking this to maintenance.

Tapio

[agarza]

Well first of all:

Does your laptop boots well even though you say your fan does not rotate. Do you get the Fan Error message?

If you can enter Windows what you can do, I'm just brainstorming here, I've never replaced a stuck heatsink-to-the-GPU problem. But what might solve your problem is powering your laptop with the keyboard dissasembled (without the screws that attaches it to the chassis (off course it will need to be connected to the motherboard).

Next, run a 3D intensive app like a game or something, or just ATiTool. Monitor your GPU temp using TPFanControl, when you see the temperature on the GPU rise up to let's say 80C, let it be at that temp for a few minutes. Then immediately turn off your laptop, remove the keyboard ribbon, the heatsink screws, and with a flat surfaced plastic thing 'pry it' between the heatsink and GPU.

I think the brown goop should be a little more 'malleable' so you can distruncate the stuck heatsink.

--

There are actually other methods around here. It's so weird this thing happens on T4xp machines, I actually removed all the brown goop in my T42p heatsink (even though is an 'M24' Lead Free heatsink which I think is used on T43p's.

Good luck. Try it out.

[Tim M]

A search will yield other topics here about fan removal. Regarding the GPU goop, you could carefully use a razor blade to separate the pink sheet and black goop from the metal heat spreader. Insert the blade horizontally to minimize the risk of damage.

[diotapio]

Yes, the laptop boots up but keeps horrible noise. I don't get the Fan Error, it boots up to Windows just ok.

I'll try to remove the fan this way, lets see how it goes.

Tapio

[diotapio]

Tried the get-the-GPU-hot-and-remove-it trick, but the thing is equally stuck to the system. Doesn't move a bit.

I've also tried to pry it open with very sharp and thin blade but that didn't help either, it is still too thick to go between the heat sink and the chip.

Any other hints?

Tapio

[Nick Y]

Any other hints?

Just be very careful not to lift the GPU....

I think someone suggested using dental floss to cut it away.

[Temetka]

Any chance of taking some pics and posting them so we can get a better idea of what is going on?

[Johan]

It seems that some users, how need to replace their fans, are having more difficulties - compared to other users - with separating the fan/heat-sink assembly from the CPU/GPU (especially the GPU, either owing to the thermal rubber between the fan/GPU hardening after years of use, or perhaps because of the larger physical size of the GPU?).

Anyway, there are quite a few reports on this forum about how to detach/separate a "stuck" T42/T43 fan/heat-sink assembly from the GPU... see e.g. the following threads:

1) Having immense trouble removing fan/heatsink and
2) [Questions] Fan Assembly Removal/Installation and
3) IBM T42p Fan error on startup and
4) T42p fan long m10 installation : pink sheet or not...? and
5) Replacing My Fan and
6) Regarding T42 Fan Removal (see especially the post by sojourner of Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:13 am) and
7) Dead Fan T41p and/or
Search this forum (T4x) for e.g. "T42 fan remove" (remember to check "Search for all terms"), and many hits will some up.

Most importantly it seems: Be gentle! Avoid applying too much force - be smart and in stead use human intelligence!

Johan

[agarza]

Try dental flossing the GPU. Whenever you do your something do not apply upwards force to the GPU as it could become loose. The razor trick could work, but you need to be patience, eventually the fan would unstuck to the GPU

[mangokun]

here are photos of my experience with removing the fan which seemed stuck to the gpu.


1. with a razor, i scrapped off the blackpaste at the sides of the heat sink. i forcefully stick the razor blade between the heat sink and the gpu(white plate), starting from near the wireless card, and cut through them apart.


2. close up of my razor blade between the heat sink and the gpu.


3. the gpu is exposed after removing the fan.


4. to clean the gpu before putting in a new fan i ordered from ebay, i applied toothpaste on the gpu and used cotton to rub the dirty stuff away.


articles i looked at, before i found this thread:
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/ibm-think ... on-bootup/
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_replace_a_T43_fan

[LesNewsom]

Okay folks. I have a solid solution for you here. After discovering the GPU bond was tight enough that damage was certain, I began perusing all the articles and found this thread. I joined just so I could share my success and hopefully help others.

Assuming you have popped the fan assembly loose from the CPU, you will need a soldering iron/gun and your little pry tool (mine was a small 4-5 inch screwdriver) and the laptop battery.

WIth the laptop in front of you as if you were using it, lay the screen down so it is out of the way. Use your little screwdriver to apply leverage/pressure to the fan assembly at the screw hole nearest the screen (let's call this hole, 12 o'clock). Set the battery on the screwdriver to maintain this pressure. All you really want to achieve here is slight, constant pressure. Now, with the tip of your soldering iron/gun, apply heat to the top of the plate, directly over the upper left corner of the GPU. (This would be the corner closest to your screwdriver, where the greatest amount of pressure is being applied and is next to another screw hole, let's call this one 5 o'clock) Mine took less than 3 minutes when it popped loose.

I hope this helps somebody.

[ajkula66]

@LesNewsom:

Welcome to the forum!

Hate to tell you, but applying any amount of heat to the GPU is a very bad idea. Double the severity of that warning if one is working on a T4x/R5x unit.

Under the small plate labeled ATi is silicone. Silicone (which is the actual GPU) and heat don't play too well together.

What most people fail to realize is that even if you pop the cover off the GPU you are not likely to cause any damage. Once the new fan is installed, it will keep the cover (which is the actual heat spreader) in place.

Patience and a very thin blade can remove the fan in 99.99% of the cases. No need for heat whatsoever.

[LesNewsom]

George,

Thanks for the kind welcome. However, I only joined the forum to share my success and my "solution" is only for getting the fan separated form the gpu in the T43.

In this instance, while being respectful of your status, I will happily agree to disagree with you. Largely because it was my experience that the razor blade had the propensity to do more damage. The amount of pressure one needs to exert with the razor blade, the tight space in which there is to work and the fact that the condition was caused by heat in the first place, makes heat the logical solution.

The thermal mass of the metal plate holding the fan assembly dissipates the heat from the iron/gun, so there is no concentration in one spot and thus, no fear of putting "too much" heat in any one spot. Silicone has a much higher melting point (thus damage point) than solder.

Also, the slight pressure presented by the leveraged screwdriver allows for instantaneous separation of the bond between the gpu and fan assembly, removing the heat source.

I would argue that the chip never even sees temperatures during this process close to what it does when playing some games and the process is quick, painless and inexpensive. One slip of the blade and a new mobo is the only fix.

Respectfully, Les

[ajkula66]

LesNewsom wrote:

One slip of the blade and a new mobo is the only fix.

How about one slip of the solder gun?

Now, with the tip of your soldering iron/gun, apply heat to the top of the plate, directly over the upper left corner of the GPU.

You're heating it at the very spot that the card itself "expects" to be cooled from. Not a good idea.

Largely because it was my experience that the razor blade had the propensity to do more damage. The amount of pressure one needs to exert with the razor blade, the tight space in which there is to work and the fact that the condition was caused by heat in the first place, makes heat the logical solution.

That was your experience with one fan. I've swapped literally hundreds of them, sometimes with a few choice words coming out of my mouth, but never damaging anything, and using only a thin screwdriver or a razor blade - for the most stubborn fans.

Unless one gets very happy with a chisel when removing the fan, physical damage is extremely unlikely to occur.

Given the history of GPU issues on T4x/R5x machines, the number of heating/cooling cycles should be minimized by all means necessary. That *is* a fact.

I'm not doubting that you were succesful whatsoever. However, the method you're prescribing involves risks that are a huge "no-no" on an ATi-based machine from this generation.

I do hope that you'll stay with this forum and visit and share often. It's a great place to be. I've learned a ton of stuff here myself.