Not Another Fan Question....

[Nick Y]

Can one buy the fan only -i.e. without all the metalwork of the heatsink? My T43 fan is starting to sound a bit iffy again -I replaced it about a year ago with one bought from IBM/Lenovo. (-for which I think the delivery charge was about the same cost as the assembly.)

[poshgeordie]

Hi Nick

As far as I know you can't buy just the fan.

It's fairly easy to take the fan apart using a Dremel to grind out the tabs / rivets (depending on the fan) - I've done this myself in the past. You can then remove the two metal housing halves and gain access to the fan itself.
The two halves are then reassembled using epoxy glue (Araldite).

I suspect the issue is more to do with the bearings than the fan shaft. I haven't got such a fan to try it on, but you'll need to have a look at the bearings and what is causing the problems.

I see you're based in the UK - if you've got your old fan would you consider sending it to me so I can take it apart and see what can be done?
This is a problem that's been going on for far too long and maybe now's the time to give it a proper look.

PM me if you're interested and I'll send you my address details.

Cheers

[Nick Y]

Thanks, Poshgeordie. I have no problem taking it apart. I had then considered tapping the holes where the rivets are and putting in some small screws. Your suggestion about the bearings is interesting. Perhaps I will take my old assembly apart and investigate and see if I can see why it died.

[Nick Y]

Follow up.

I took the T43 fan assembly apart and there is fairly evidently nothing replaceable there. The rotor has a spindle and magnet, with four coils mounted on a PCB attached to the metalwork with a few surface mounted components and a SM IC between the PCB and metalwork. I don't think that one could disassemble it further (e.g. separate the PCB from metalwork) without re-assembly being almost impossible.

It makes me wonder what a 'refurbished' fan would be like? Probably just a dust off!

[poshgeordie]

Can the spindle / fan / magnet assembly be withdrawn from the middle of the pcb / body assembly?

I'm just thinking that if they can be separated then it may be possible to use wd40 or very thin oil to flush out any dirt in the bearing and then reassamble the wholel lot with cleaned and lubed shaft & bearing.

Check that the bearing assembly (if it exists) isn't made of nylon since conventional oil will cause the nylon to expand and seize up the assembly.

[Nick Y]

Can the spindle / fan / magnet assembly be withdrawn from the middle of the pcb / body assembly?...

Yes but I think that with this one the IC is probably dead.