Lubricating radeon 5870 fan

[TidusZ]

My Radeon 5870 fan started making a lot of noise and I don't have the money to buy a new hsf and I can't RMA it. I took it apart and the fan itself does not seem to have an opening to the bearing to lubricate it, there is simply a golden circle underneath the sticker underneath the fan which does not seem to come out.

I have tried tying two case fans over the heatsink and leaving the plastic shroud off, but the temperatures are not good. Right now I have the bare heatsink and a 2 foot industrial fan blowing air right into the case, which keeps the temperatures low enough but is louder than the original problem.

I would really like to be able to fix the fan and put it back together as it was, but despite finding threads of people claiming to have lubricated various PC fans, I see no evidence that its possible with the fan on a radeon 5870 and I can't figure this out. Anybody know?

 

[3DVagabond]

Have you tried to find a replacement for the fan only?

 

[TidusZ]

yes, I have taken apart an old gtx 295 which I bricked a long while back, the fan is the right size but the bottom triangular part where it screws in is not shaped the same, so I cant screw it into the radeon heatsink. If I could secure it properly within the heatsink it would work. I tried using duct tape but it sagged and would clip the edge of the plastic shroud, I just dont know.

 

[TidusZ]

well after spending the good part of a day on this and taking the card apart about 5-6 times I put it back together with the original fan and for the past half hour its been silent, here's hoping it stays that way, cus its a huge hassle to "fix" a broken fan on a radeon card. I may try to buy a radeon hsf locally through kijiji or something, from someone who uses a water setup or something.

 

[4ghz]

Highly doubt its going to stay that way. Start saving up for a cheap aftermarket cooler like the AC aero twin pro or sell the card to someone who plans to water cool it or use a aftermarket cooler.

 

[Seero]

My Radeon 5870 fan started making a lot of noise and I don't have the money to buy a new hsf and I can't RMA it. I took it apart and the fan itself does not seem to have an opening to the bearing to lubricate it, there is simply a golden circle underneath the sticker underneath the fan which does not seem to come out.

I have tried tying two case fans over the heatsink and leaving the plastic shroud off, but the temperatures are not good. Right now I have the bare heatsink and a 2 foot industrial fan blowing air right into the case, which keeps the temperatures low enough but is louder than the original problem.

I would really like to be able to fix the fan and put it back together as it was, but despite finding threads of people claiming to have lubricated various PC fans, I see no evidence that its possible with the fan on a radeon 5870 and I can't figure this out. Anybody know?

I have an electric chainsaw, so I have the oil (lubricant) for the chainsaw. Since old fans sound like it, I decided to put have 1/4th drop of these oil into the hold underneath the sticker with q-tip. It isn't a fix, but a patch work that will fall out bit by bit. A patched fan is still louder than a new fan, but hey.

 

[shangshang]

Use a tiny screw driver and pry/poke that golden sticker out!! that is your access to get the oil in. Break the sticker if you have to! You can always use those desk tape to tape up the hole agian!

 

[SonicIce]

http://www.dansdata.com/fanmaint.htm

 

[stahlhart]

I've had good luck with silicone grease for these. You have to be careful with light oil, as it will attack some plastics long term.

http://aeroconsystems.com/cart/catalog/Specialty_Grease_Syringes-40-1.html

 

[RampantAndroid]

Use a tiny screw driver and pry/poke that golden sticker out!! that is your access to get the oil in. Break the sticker if you have to! You can always use those desk tape to tape up the hole agian!

Aren't these all sealed bearings ANYWAY?

And a lot of ATI cards had the wonderful rattle from hanging on their bearings for which there is no fix.

 

[Melanie]

wife says to use K-Y it lubes every thing