Problem removing old fan from t42

[kacenka]

My old fan on ThinkPad t42 died (fan error). I have gotten a replacement which arrived today and followed instructions found on lenovo web site. It tells me to remove keyboard, keypad and even hard drive (?). Anyway, all that is fine. then I removed the 3 screws from the heatsink and now I am stuck. The instructions advice to gently push under it to pop it out. The main part of the sink does not seem to be such a big problem but the 'long' part is attached to something (about middle of the laptop) and would not budge.

Instructions for putting new one in tell me to apply the heat glue on that part. So I am assuming a heat glue is on it now (as well as on a little part of the main body). Anything I can dissolve it with or use heat or? I do not mind if I damage the old fan as it is not functioning, I just need to get the thing out of there!

[sktn77a]

If you have the long fan, there is a screw hole at the very end of the heat sink (beyond the GPU). Make sure that's not stuck. Aside from that, it's just a matter of pulling the heatsink up off the GPU, CPU and then maneuvering it out of the side port (which is a bit of a struggle if you've never done it before).

[VFR_firefly]

I think it is easier to remove the fan when the PCMCIA port has been removed and then the long metal bar on the left side has been removed as well. This allows the fan to be pulled out with much less maneuvering. Of course to get this bar out not only do you need to remove the PCMCIA body, but you need to remove the speakers and palmrest bezel to get that out. You also need to remove the modem/bluetooth daughter card, the keyboard bezel and the connector to the LCD screen. This is a lot of stuff to take apart, but if you are having trouble pulling the fan assembly off this makes it cake (if you don't mind pulling all the other stuff apart).

When removing the LCD connector be VERY careful with it as the tiny microswitch that controls the lid-close-on/off function is easily broke off. It's a pain to put back on even if you are experienced in micro-soldering. Been there, done that.




I've been pulling the MB's so often lately that I can do it in my sleep now. It's only a 45 minute job to completely rip out the MB and about that long to totally reassemble it. The fan and CPU are the last things I do before removing the MB from the bottom assembly as it is just easier that way, although I have done it with only the keyboard and palmrest removed. It comes off much easier once you see how it is really attached. Don't forget to unplug the wires!

[kacenka]

Thanks for your advice. I am not even as far that the PCMCIA would be in a way. The GPU is firmly 'soldered' together. No amount of brute force seem to help. I am going to try heat next before throwing a pity party

ETA: being a woman has its advantages. The hair dryer did the trick and the rest went as expected. My laptop is back in the game! Thanks.

[Binh]

ETA: being a woman has its advantages. The hair dryer did the trick and the rest went as expected. My laptop is back in the game! Thanks.

Actually, you don't need (and should not) to use hair dryer since it may damage electronic components located near the GPU chip.

The easier and safer way is:
- Remove the keyboard and palmrest
- Connect the keyboard again (in order to be able to turn on the computer)
- Turn on the Thinkpad
- When the "Fan Error" message appear, press the Esc key repeatly.
- The computer will boot into Windows.
- Run some software ("heavy" software are preferred) to heat-up the heat-sink.
- Use your hand to control the temperature of the heat-sink.
- When it is relatively hot (~60-70 deg. C), turn off the thinkpad, quickly remove the keyboard and then the heat-sink is easy to be removed.

Hope this help someone

[Johan]

- Run some software ("heavy" software are preferred) to heat-up the heat-sink.

Hint: You may e.g. use the following (free) programs for this, and also to test the GPU stability: Lenovo Systems ToolBox for Windows - Desktops / Notebooks / WorkStation and/or Video Card Stability Test.

Johan

[Benoone]

Hair dryers and heat guns can melt the surrounding plastic:(

Getting the GPU hot did not help in my case cause I had one that was really really really stuck to the GPU.

On my T42p long fan assembly, there was a thin aluminum plate bonded (with some hard black gook) to the actual upper heat sink. The thin aluminum plate rested on top of the GPU and the heat sink compound had dried out and was "glued" to the GPU. Dental floss and fine wire would not cut it loose.

I turned the unit on its side and every ten minutes I put a drop of lighter fluid (naphtha) in the area where the aluminum meets the GPU. I also stuck a screwdriver blade in between the white block and the short side of the copper fan assembly - this put lifting pressure on the whole assembly including the long part glued to the GPU.

After about five drops and 45 minutes the assembly popped off the GPU.

By the time I get around to installing the new fan all the lighter fluid should be evaporated and I should be good to go.

Hope this helps someone.

[Norway Pad]

After about five drops and 45 minutes the assembly popped off the GPU.

Assembly? Did the aluminum plate pop off the GPU, or is the plate left on the GPU? That it the GPU heatsink, and it is supposed to stay on the GPU. The black goop you are talking about is the thermal pad, and the separation is supposed to happen there. Dental floss or wire is used at the thermal pad, not underneath the alu. plate. If you look at the top of the alu. plate, you can see it's got the ATi logo, and is a part of the GPU.

It is probably no big deal IF the plate popped off, just separate if from the fan heatsink and put it back when you install your new fan. Be sure not to bend it or damage the surfaces. I have never had this happen, and I am not sure if it's recommended to put thermal compound directly on the GPU chips. I actually doubt that strongly. So just put the plate back and make sure it stays in place. If someone else have a different approach to it, I am sure they will comment.

Good luck!

Edit: Reading your post over again, I am not sure where you applied lifting force. One should be aware that these GPUs are a weak spot, and any lifting force applied to the GPU-to-motherboard BGA connection should be avoided at any cost.

[poshgeordie]

We remove these long heatsinks off the GPU's every day.

Remove all the screws securing the heatsink to the motherboard.

Using a tiny flat bladed screwdriver with the blade inserted horizontally on one of the outer GPU sides between the top of the GPU aluminium plate and the underside of the heatskink pink material.

Use a heavier impliment (eg plier handles) to tap the screwdriver a couple of times.

Move the screwdriver to the other outer side and repeat.

The GPU will separate quite easily from the heatsink with this method.

If the GPU aluminium top plate come off instead, it will need to be properly fitted back onto the rest of the chip.

Remove the plate from the heatsink with the method above.

Clean all the grey "stuff" off the chip components and the aluminium plate. Alcohol based products work fine.

The plate is reglued to the chip using Arctic Silver Adhesive (available via eBay) on the four outer "chiplets", and the tiniest amount of Arctic Silver heatsink compound on the centre "block".

Before replacing the fan onto the GPU plate, clean any black stuff on the plate using an alcohol based product.

[Tasurinchi]

Sorry for hijacking the thread! I'm having similar problems with my T43p (see my post here) and have a couple of newbie questions.

Clean all the grey "stuff" off the chip components and the aluminium plate. Alcohol based products work fine.

Thanks to your hints I could remove the heatsink. This is what it looks now:


I think I've slightly damaged the thin pink pad. Will it not fall down if I remove the black stuff from the borders?

The plate is reglued to the chip using Arctic Silver Adhesive (available via eBay) on the four outer "chiplets", and the tiniest amount of Arctic Silver heatsink compound on the centre "block".

What are the "chiplets"? I haven't seen rests of Artic Silver 5 neither in the middle of the pink pad (as per above, I haven't cleaned the pad) nor in the aluminium GPU cover. If I understand correctly I should add a small drop on the middle, but where should I put the AS adhesive?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

[poshgeordie]

Glad it's worked for you. Your pink pad looks fine so no need to worry.

The Arctic Silver adhesive is only needed if you accidently also remove the top plate from the GPU, and you stick it back onto the little square VRAM chips around the top of the GPU chip (and under the plate).

You don't use the Arctic Silver heatsink compound or Adhesive between the top of the GPU plate and pink heatsink material.

BTW could you post a link to your picture rather than the complete picture since forum rules allow only a 50k picture size.

[Tasurinchi]

The Arctic Silver adhesive is only needed if you accidently also remove the top plate from the GPU, and you stick it back onto the little square VRAM chips around the top of the GPU chip (and under the plate).

Does it means I can just put AS5 in the CPU, attach everything back and it's ready? It's too good news for me

Regarding the pictures, they're hosted by google and I think they are so compressed to be lightweight. I hope I didn't break the 50k rule

[poshgeordie]

I do apologise to you - they are only 25k so yes you're fine! I got fooled by the viewing size of the pic.

You only need to use a tiny amount of AS5 on the CPU chip and that's it!