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Replenishing the oil reserve in the sleeve bearing assembly will reverse this condition. If the airflow is reduced, the system will run hotter than it should, which puts certain components at risk for failure. In addition to the noise, the increased friction will cause the fan to rotate slower, which in turn will reduce the airflow. When that happens, the rotating shaft will come in direct contact with the stationary cylinder, which creates a scraping or grinding sound. However, if the assembly doesn’t stay sealed properly, some of the oil can dry up over time. In a perfect sleeve bearing assembly, the amount of oil in the bearing is the correct amount and stays constant throughout the life of the fan. This type of sleeve bearing assembly is illustrated in Figure A.Ī sleeve bearing assembly is composed of a shaft that rotates inside of a stationary cylinder. This film of oil prevents metal-to-metal contact and thereby eliminates friction and almost all noise. As the shaft rotates, oil is pulled out of the cylinder creating a film of oil on which the shaft rides. In this case, the cylinder is made of a porous metal, which is impregnated with oil. For this article, I’ll focus on the sleeve bearing assembly.Ī sleeve bearing assembly is composed of a shaft (to which the fan blade is attached) that rotates inside of a stationary cylinder. You can pick up a tube of sewing machine oil at almost any sewing machine dealer or even at a fabric store for about $2.00 to $3.00.Īlmost all computer-cooling fans are designed around a sleeve bearing assembly-although I have encountered some computer cooling fans that use a ball bearing assembly. I prefer to use sewing machine oil, because, in addition to being a lightweight oil, it has excellent viscosity, holds up well at high temperatures, and is specifically designed to lubricate moving parts that operate at high speeds. That said what type of oil should you use? Well almost any lightweight mechanical oil, such as 3-in-1 household oil, will do just fine. WD-40 is also a light lubricant that is better for lubricating something like a hinge that only moves occasionally rather than a component such as a fan that moves continuously at high speed. WD-40 is formulated as a cleaner/degreaser to be used for loosening stuck parts, preventing corrosion, and displacing water-all types of problems you won’t typically find in computer fans. But don’t be tempted to use WD-40 to lubricate a computer fan. Many people use WD-40 to lubricate all kinds of squeaky or noisy mechanical components around the home and office. In many cases, the fan, like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, needs only a drop of oil.Īs you read the introduction to this article, the first question on your mind was probably, “What kind of oil should you use?” And, that’s actually a very good question, because using the wrong kind of oil can have adverse effects.
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While doing so is a fairly easy operation, it’s not always necessary. So your first inclination might be to just replace the noisy fan. If any of these cooling fans fails, the system could overheat and cause data loss. Of course, each of these cooling fans is designed to keep the whole system as cool as possible by generating a constant airflow inside the case that will bring cool air in while moving the hot air out. Most computers have three cooling fans, one inside the power supply, one on the case itself, and one on the CPU. A problem with either type of component could spell disaster.īut in most cases, you’ll discover that the noise is being generated by one of the cooling fans inside the computer. When a user complains to you that his or her computer is making a loud whirring noise, there are really only two types of components that can make that type of noise: disk drives and cooling fans. Learn how to safely silence a noisy cooling fan and extend its life with a drop of oil. Don't let a poorly performing fan overheat your PC.