CPU Headsink FAN becoming noisy

A

AirCool

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
200
I bought the MASSCOOL 8WT15-38 HSF for my HTPC:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150088

Just after its 1 year warranty expired, I am hearing very loud noise from the fan. It is not because of the heat from the CPU causing the fan to spin up. But I think it is the noise from the bearing. Does it mean the thing needs to be replaced? Is there any lubrication that I can apply and fix the noise without having to take the whole thing out?
 
That's why i NEVER buy a cooler that comes with not replacable fan...

In theory you could try to lubricate it, as seen here:

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/quiet-noisy-computer-fans-with-a-drop-of-oil/5034842

But, with such an "el cheapo" cooler, the bearings will probably be too damaged. I 've used sewing machine oil one one fan that was noisy, but with poor results.

You can try, but as Ruoh said, buy another one. And preferably, one that you can simply take off the old fan and put a new one on (a cooler with screws and standard dimension fan).
 
Is there any lubrication that I can apply and fix the noise without having to take the whole thing out?
Click to expand...

Every fan i've ever had to take out is very easy, do you have some strange complex system?

Anyways, sometimes if im lazy, i'll peel away the sticker on the fan and expose the bearing/axil (not all fans have this) and just drip a little generic oil. Usually lasts another year.
 
That's good advice. I had no idea that under the innocent looking sticker is where I can add oil. What kind of "generic oil" do I need?
 
A ball bearing fan should not wear out after a year. I've had BB fans last for ages and not get super noisy.

I'd always try to stick to a cooler that is easy to replace a fan such as a normal 80/92/120mm standard fan that fits on if needed.
 
It sound like its time for a new heatsink....warranty expired
 
No go on the lube. I removed the fan sticker and there is nothing. No holes. No caps. I am confused.

I believe the screws runs all the way to the bottom. I don't see a way to take the fan off without removing the heatsink.

35-150-088-03.jpg
 
that's what it looks like to me as well. If you comfortable doing that, it looks like you will be doing alot more work to fix this noise.
newegg said:
RPM:
2400 ±10% RPM
Air Flow:
42 CFM
Noise Level:
30 dBA
Click to expand...

Based on that information...its going to be a pretty loud fan period. What are you cooling?
 
skeeder said:
Based on that information...its going to be a pretty loud fan period. What are you cooling?
Click to expand...

C2D E4500. I set the fan to at 50% unless above 50C. It was not noisy at all. Now it is very loud as if it is hitting something.
 
AirCool said:
No go on the lube. I removed the fan sticker and there is nothing. No holes. No caps. I am confused.

I believe the screws runs all the way to the bottom. I don't see a way to take the fan off without removing the heatsink.
Click to expand...
On the fan, the opening to the axil is usually on the other side. Typically there's a sticker on that side as well, remove that sticker, thats'w where you oil.

There's nothign really too complex in your situation. Place the computer on its side (so that the gravity it pushing the heatsink down onto the cpu), and unscrew and take off the fan. If the heatsink loses contact with the cpu temporarly while your doing this, i wouldn't worry about it that much, just press it back on after wards. But make sure to leave the cpu in it's place so that dust doesn't collect onto it.

It's not as good as doing a fresh install with thermal paste, but in my experience it's fine.
 
ha amusingly the shuttle i bought on ebay for my home sever had one of those heatsinks when i got it...


holy crap it was loud... I replaced it... with the stock cooler for the little E3300 I have put in it.


the stock cooler performs about as well and is much quieter.. that masscool thing it just loud to start with.
 
Sorry to bring up an old thread.

I have since replaced the faulty HSF. I recently moved my HTPC to a new location and found the noise intolerable. And I just realized that I am an idiot that my motherboard cannot control the speed of the fan with its 3-pin connector. Since I have the spare MASSCOOL, is there a replacement fan that I can purchase that runs on 4-pin with fan speed control?

Again, this is the HSF that I am thinking of reusing.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150088
 
I doubt it. It uses the 4-pin Molex head. What I need is a fan that runs on the 4-pin CPU FAN jack from the M/B such that the M/B can control its speed. Thanks, nonetheless. I noticed a comment mentioned about Zalman Fan mate, I guess it is an option that I can consider too. But it is not as ideal as a self regulated solution.
 
Last edited:
my bad, I was just searched for a 90mm fan with 4 pin, didn't pay attention to it being molex
I would just buy the same cooler again, or zip tie another PWM fan to the top of it!
 
AirCool said:
No go on the lube. I removed the fan sticker and there is nothing. No holes. No caps. I am confused.

I believe the screws runs all the way to the bottom. I don't see a way to take the fan off without removing the heatsink.
Click to expand...

Is that an 80, or 120mm fan, either way just replace it.
 
It is a 90mm fan. But to replace it, I want to find one that uses 4-pin CPUFAN plug.
 
Look for a fan with what is known as a "PWM" connector (4-pin/4-wire true fan connector, not a molex power-only connector). Several major brands make them.

But finding one that's 90mm is going to be tough. So it looks like zip-tie time, as noted by a poster above. See here for some 92mm examples.

But since that cooler is cheaper than most of the fans listed, just replace the entire heatsink+fan. Advise using something that is better quality than that 10 buck POS. No, its not a ball-bearing fan that's included at that price, its almost certainly a short life POS sleeve-bearing.

Here are three cheap examples (the 15 buck one has a ball-bearing fan). For a bigger selection (several LGA 775 heatsink/fans are compatible with other CPU sizes), see here. Avoid no-name sleeve-bearing fans if you want something that will last longer than a year.
 
The problem is that my motherboard is already using the type of CPU HSF with mounting bracket and I don't want to take the M/B out to either replace or remove the bracket. So I am pretty much stuck with my choices. What I ended up doing is take a PWM fan from another HSF and screw it on top of my old HSF with matching screws.

It sort of worked. Noise went away when the speed is 1200RPM or below. But the problem is now the heatsink is not stable. The screws used to drive through the fan (see pic in prev page) and spring pressing the fan and on to the heatsink and keep it from moving. Now without the original fan, the heatsink would move a bit if I touch it.

P.S. I ended up having to upgrade the BIOS (MSI G41TM-E43) because the BIOS always default to 50% fan speed after waking from standby.
 
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