Tutorial: How to lube a Computer Fan- Revive old fans!

Just a quick guide on how to lube a fan. I use a 120mm fan in the video, but the procedure is the same for the majority of fans out there today. Here is the type of oil you need-
Light Machine Oil: amzn.to/34arzM7
Edit: The price has gone up since I bought it a few years ago I guess. You could also use something like this, I'd actually prefer it for the applicator- amzn.to/2YDQSFa
I've also started putting these little grommets on my fans to quiet down vibrations: amzn.to/2Fn9r7X
I've had my bottle for maybe 3 years, and its still 75%+ full. Needless to say, a bottle will probably last you forever.
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[@Faldomar]

Four years later, I found this video and it has saved my SUPER noisy fan! Thank you!

[@Tatsuki09]

And here I am four years later after four years later

[@anonx8822]

@@Tatsuki09 Same

[@ramonvictoria2687]

Amen👍

[@tickyul]

CMFEO >>>>>>>>> so happy for you!

[@krem4900]

and me 4 years later ​@@Tatsuki09

[@mubs677]

Brother you saved my life.. my fan worked by doing this just when i was at brink of replacing my power supply. I am a graphic designer and thus all my work was due because of this. 🥂!

[@itsmedohh699]

Thanks for the tutorial , Also a note for beginners : if the sticker doesn't seem so stick back please consider cleaning the area and using electric tape instead so the oil don't short the fan if it leaks !

[@schlomoshekelstein908]

oil isn't conductive....

[@vondrous84]

@@schlomoshekelstein908 Good point. Anyway, it's good advice. You do not want to have oil everywhere. :)

[@gx4548]

@@schlomoshekelstein908 if there is no oil left, eventually, the lifetime of the fan would be shortened.

[@Pewit35]

Tip: Use a hairdryer to warm the sticker and make it easier to remove

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Killer tip, thank you!

[@Amraks]

Even better use your rubbing alcohol to remove it, this will disable the stick temporarily. No heat required I use this method to open playstations to not void warranty

[@Duttroid]

@@Amraks Thanks but I must recommend the heat gun/hair dryer. Alcohol will react with and remove the adhesive.

[@kmemz]

WD40 worked fine for my fan... I put in the WD40 about half a year ago and it's not made any grinding noises since. It also got a wee bit faster. I run my computer almost 24/7 too. I'm still glad that I'm getting a new case with two 120MM fans and a Hyper 212 EVO cooler in the mail soon, going to quiet things up quite a bit, having three 120MM blowers in place of a 2K RPM 80MM case fan and a 2.5K RPM 40MM cpu fan. I don't know why they are so murderously loud!

[@ulysseslemons4070]

My 200mm NZXT case fan was making a weird clanking sound as if the blades were hitting a wire. After inspection and seeing no interference I followed this guide. There was black gunk inside that i cleared up with a Q-tip. I didn't have any light machine oil laying around so i used Premium 4-cycle small engine oil and it now works like a dream!

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it worked!

[@twobigjets]

You just saved me 10 dollars and a Best Buy trip. I took 5 minutes and used gun oil on a fan in my wine fridge and the loud vibrations stopped immediately. Thank you for the video!

[@BunnyEZ]

8 years later I found this video and I hope it helps. I'll try this out asap

[@GarageMaxedOut]

It works great, definitely a good maintenance step for older fans!

[@afiqalbawah4039]

wow.. my almost 10 year fan old revived by your method! subscribed

[@MootPotato]

After 2 decades I never once considered lubricating any pc fan, I just now thought of this on a whim and decided to run a google search. I have thought of many things in my life when working and doing computer maintenence but this is the ONE that has continued to slip under my radar, until today. I'm by no means an idiot but I sure as hell feel dumb. Thanks guy for the brief video and the fellas in the comments for additional tips and troubleshooting.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it could help!

[@bubblemanpie]

I was about to grab some WD-40 when you said not to.

[@Umbinator]

You're both wrong. It's a Water Displacement formula.... Formula #40, even... hahaha.

[@harryhopkins5076]

on the WD-40 website FAQs under what does it do, number one on the list is "lubricates" wd40.com/faqs

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Harry Hopkins it has the effect of lubricating, because it is a solvent and breaks down things that make stuff sticky/stuck

[@RichardCMongler]

it has the effect of lubricating because it contains petroleum base oil as an ingredient which is what most conventional oil used. It's fine for short term lubricating but you'll get some caking eventually which is why you shouldn't use it for long term lubrication. Synthetic oil is superior like the sewing machine oil you used.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Richard C. Mongler it's made up of over 50% hydrocarbon solvent, hence my comment- but yeah it does have petroleum based oil as well, so we are both on target :-)

[@Spark244]

Already saw this video a few years back but never actually tried it on any actual fans. But now the day has come and I needed to resurrect a dying 40mm fan. Can confirm this has actually worked wonders. My dying fan turned from sounding like beaten up T-34 going max velocity with a faulty gearbox filled with gravel to purring like a newborn kitten. Would definitely recommend as an easy fix.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Nice!

[@soilmanted]

I recommend that you disassemble the whole fan, and clean out all the dust from inside, and THEN oil it. To disassemble, remove the little plastic c-clip that holds the fan shaft in place. You can see it right under the label. Then the fan with axle and permanent magent, will easily separate from the coils. Clean inside the magnet. clean around the coils. Then reassemble with multipurpose grease - just a little. Replace the clip. You could add a drop of oil to thin out the grease. Replace the rubber seal if the fan had one, if not, put a piece of tape to hold the oil and grease in (after first cleaning the surface with alcohol - test cleaning solvent you are thinking of using, in an unimportant spot, to make sure it won't dissolve the plastic). That's it. You can throw away the label, or reattache it.

[@elektrotehnik94]

is this process necessary in most fans? Like, isn't the axle the main problem in most cases? Oiling the axle makes the noise go away? :D

[@flexy456]

100%. Because a seized fan or noise is often because of gunk, inside the bearing and on the axle. Remove the nylon clip (tweezers), and then slide out the fan. (Most sleeve bearing fans, after the nylon clip also have two small rubber rings to seal in the oil, or then can be additional washers. One rubber ring can be right below c-clip, and one maybe at the other side of the axle, at the bottom). Clean inside of bearing with alcohol, clean axle, clean everything. Put back rubber/washers. Slide back in fan, add drop of oil. Add second washer/rubber ring on top, then lock it all in again with the nylon c-clip. DONE. Fan will be like new.

[@tickyul]

NOPE, sorry TechHipster, plopping some oil in works good enough.

[@supersolomob422]

He just wanted to squirt his oil into the hole

[@EmilePolka]

my fans usually died for about a year in 24/7 turned on, they usually make loud sounds and very strong vibrations. my usual way to get the fans get working again. - apply wd40 to clean out dust in the bearing. - spin it around till the fan blade smooth - apply some motor oil (liquid) - spin it around a few times - re-apply motor oil again - spin the fan blade again - apply motor grease on it (until you cant see the bearing anymore) - place back the rubber cap that's it, my fans are back in service again and will work for another year (actually 2 years, more than what I expected) before I need to service it again. I tried the following before and it was a total failure: - applying wd40 alone while it works, it only last for about a week and its back to the usual problem again.

[@virtualtools_3021]

It will last longer, and spin faster if you use silicone oil with teflon in it, cheap to buy online

[@saxitopau1528]

Just revived a old fan using your video. The only oil I had available though, was 10W30 engine oil. Less than a drop of that and the annoying knocking at startup was gone.

[@lumnierefernandez7166]

Because of this video, you made me a subscriber sir... thanks for the brilliant idea.. i restored my old brushless fan... thanks a lot bro

[@johnaxta1008]

Great, helpful video. 9 years old video but still helping people like me with fan repair.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it helped!

[@robertdale2964]

Dude this tutorial saved my PC. Fan got terribly slow and started to overheat and slowdown. Normally I'd just replace the fan. But right now don't have the cash. But I have engineer oil and tools. Followed your vid and I saved my machine! Thanks 😁

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@quesofresco123]

Thanks, I was able to save my little heater that uses a PC fan with your help.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Excellent!

[@goldenbrick7187]

PSA: if your fan doesn't have a hole or removable cap under sticker, get a power drill and drill a hole into the center of where thehole should be. make sure you use a bit that's wide enough for you to drip 2 drops of oil into the fan. When drilling use slow setting; you only need to go through like less than 1mm thick plastic. The manufacturer just wants to make it harder for users to extend the life of the fan

[@jackkraken3888]

Thanks. I had no idea!

[@1FUNN]

Yeah, i got 2 fan like that with 2 different brand.

[@TimJorden506]

Thanks dude I thought I would have to get a new fan because of it

[@melissadalecosta]

i was thinking of doing the same in a sealed hard plastic cover but was concerned shaving from the drill would get on the shaft and in the bearings.

[@facetioustitan3900]

@@melissadalecosta this is what I’m concerned about. Did you try it, and did the plastic shavings cause any issue?

[@brandursimonsen4427]

Viscous silicone lubricants are likely better than oil based for sleeve bearings. I sprayed silicone into fans through slits and the silicone lubricates effectively without causing any damage while creeping into every crevice.

[@photonwerewolf9740]

Neat video. Very simple and to the point. Thanks a lot for sharing this! one of my fans has started to seize up and this will come in handy!

[@GetVladimir]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Helped to fix a small, but very hard-to-find fan from a Radeon HD 4890 graphic card. I hope it will hold until I find some kind of replacement fan.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it could help! I remember those 4890s, beasts of their time!

[@dereky.6737]

I've done this several times on different laptops.... I use synthetic automatic transmission fluid. One drop is enough. I prefer it as is more "stable" than engine oil, and is designed to operate continuously in high-heat/friction environments.

[@Exoamylase]

Is it ok to wear socks when i do this?

[@Je7k9b8]

haha!

[@Fucknuts4u]

no, only people with fred fucking flintstone feet can do this and you are not allowed to have socks. yabba dabba yuck

[@leeandrews2765]

Exoskeleton Bug Millennium damn boi!!! I just pissed myself when you said this !!!! I’m sooo stoned watching some random guy greasing up some fans !!! Wtf and how the shItten balls did I get here ?

[@GruppeSechs]

No, and you should use a plastic butter knife from Wendy's instead of a screwdriver.

[@leeandrews2765]

rareGems peace ✌️

[@Brimenting]

Very clear and concise video. Thanks.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

you are welcome!

[@c00l0ne]

This method actually worked on my ICEMAKER exhaust fan. Thank you! I used baby oil since thats all I can find at home.

[@AndorJensma]

+koolio999 hahaha good stuff :P

[@Reza254]

Baby oil..works only for short term.

[@mikkelnyhuus9173]

I let my fan spin and it sucked it into the tiny gap. Now it works fine. Btw I used bike chain lube before I knew oiling a pc fan was a thing.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Good tip!

[@mikkelnyhuus9173]

@@GarageMaxedOut Wtf.

[@iZetto1]

@@GarageMaxedOut it isnt a tip lol

[@GarageMaxedOut]

@@mikkelnyhuus9173 ?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

@@iZetto1 OP suggested bike lube, that's a great tip for people who may already have that on a shelf at home.

[@sled_neckx9972]

what if mine doesn't have a rubber cap or an open hole (it's sealed in the back)

[@Alex-oz9eh]

drill a hole?

[@ameyas7726]

That's almost impossible...all electric motor fans have an opening so you can access the locking mechanism that'll allow you to separate the plastic fan blades from the internal motor in case you need to lubricate it or rewind burnt winding etc....your's probably have a rubber cap that is so well set in that you can't differentiate it, look very closely..

[@canineclient7006]

@@ameyas7726 nah man, mine have no holes too I can't remove it

[@hourly7772]

@@canineclient7006 same, have you figured it out yet? mines plastic at the back

[@canineclient7006]

@@hourly7772 mine has like a PC fan hub, and has a reset pin on it and I just used a screwdriver to poke it and it was fixed. Sorry for the English

[@oscarmuffin4322]

In addition to machine oil you can also use the blade oil that comes with hair trimmers and also a 3 in 1 oil isn't a bad idea either. They're all practically the same thing.

[@pradhyumnsoni9565]

u saved me lot of time thanks

[@MrCrich623]

Just out of curiosity would gun lubricants work or would they be a bad idea?

[@oscarmuffin4322]

@@MrCrich623 Gun oil isn't a bad choice but does contain additives that can build up over time.

[@MrCrich623]

@@oscarmuffin4322 thank you, I didn't expect you to reply that quickly to a question on a 3 year old comment

[@anuparockz]

You just saved me from having to buy a new fan! Thanks :)

[@ameyas7726]

The rubber cap is important...it helps keep the lubricant oil in and prevents it from drying out in the long run or allow dust to creep in the motor shaft and mix with the lubricant oil and gum things up, increasing the fan noise, vibration...The sticker alone doesn't do a good job of it; get a cap from another older fan you might have lying around..

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Great tip!

[@highflowhighflow9896]

works great , had a fan what even with the vingers hardly spin one turn, i completely removed the blade, cleaned the inner and oiled all with grease from "Hilti" what is usually boxed with their drillingmachines. now it spins like new again, prob ready for another year or 2... lets hope

[@devintardy1268]

probably the first in a while to comment but thanks a ton this was a tremendous help and stopped my overheating issue

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Awesome, thank you for watching!

[@bornzorGAMING]

tyvm bro this truly revived my fan thought laptop is broke! i love you

[@nicholasrandall3507]

This video saved my power supply. Thank you.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Nicholas Randall glad it worked for you!

[@moxgametv]

If your fan doesn't have a hole/removable cap. Don't drill it, you'll break your fan if you don't know how to drill properly! Use a heated needle instead.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Great tip, thanks for sharing!

[@gx4548]

great tip. would try out this first.

silicone based oil is much better for things like this that are exposed to dust btw. good video!

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Thanks for the tip!

[@PapaMav]

@Joe H or grease like Super Lube w/PTFE. But for that, best to take that plastic lock washer off, take the fan out, clean, lube and reassemble. Basically by the time you would need to do it again, the fan will likely have outlived its use.

[@allymurray8163]

Great video really clear to understand thanks

[@slipknot2k4]

Thanks for the video i was looking for fans with rubber seals. Im tired of buying fans from cooler master and drilling holes myself just to lubricate them from this AZ hot weather.

[@missgigglez]

I used the hair clippers oil. worked a treat. its not taking of like a plane now.

[@missgigglez]

I used a needle to pop the plug out.

[@SUPERULTRAMAGNUM]

I was just wondering if hair clipper oil would work. i have machine oil but i think clipper oil might be better.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Both are light oils, they'll work great

[@missgigglez]

Sewing machine oil would have been my next choice. Its just my hair clipper oil was more convenient for me.

[@SUPERULTRAMAGNUM]

Can confirm that the clipper oil appears to be holding up just fine.

[@pieman12345678987654]

Thanks for the tip, came in super handy. 👍 I just fixed a really annoying high RPM 25mm fan with this method. I had to make a new sticker for it bc the old one wouldn't stick. Runs like a champ without needing to tappy tap tap it every time it starts up. Thank you! 👍

[@laurencelaser7311]

How about a fan on a GeForce 7300 GT graphics card?

[@TheChinchsu]

the sticker if u put a hairdryer to it for a little bit will allow you to take it off a little easier

[@JamieMarshallMusician]

thanks very much .. kinda OBVIOUS when you know .. much appreciated JM

[@berdt4870]

One of my fans is starting to have a screechy sound, definitely will put oil in the bearing :)

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Please do!

[@KingTairun]

I do recommend to dismantle it completely, wipe clean the old grease and then re oil. just be careful not to lose a parts in the process.

[@Reza254]

What about just blowing compressed air to blow out the dust & gunk and using a qtip to clean it out, then applying the oil?

[@KingTairun]

@@Reza254 there should not be gunk in there it use to be because when manufacturers used grease that dried up, if there is gunk you do have to dismantle it, 1:15 the white ring is removed and the axis attached to the fan will fall. If it is clean but dry just pour some oil/WD40, spin it around and seal it thigh. Some fans don't even have a hole under the sticker and you might need to carefully drill a hole to oil them

[@nisaremal]

Thanks man, it really helped a lot

[@mrtrixxxter]

I would look up if cooler fans can be lubed AFTER I ordered a new heatsink from amazon.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Ha, well at least you can always return to Amazon!

[@maut33]

Thanks i will try it in a noisy cooler.

[@chessguru900]

The best thing is high speed bearing oil.

[@Neverdyingpride]

can you use hybrid engine oil on a fan

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Depends on the viscosity- you won't hurt it by adding a small amount, but I would use sewing machine oil- amzn.to/3B0PhLv

[@nitekitten]

thank you i was about to f up really bad lol

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it could help!

[@dorfschmidt4833]

Open the bearings, degrease it, give it a clean in an ultrasonic bath, relube it with Molycote, reassemble it.

[@NoferTrunions]

How do you get that little plastic snap washer out? I need to clean the gum out of the bearing.

[@huldu]

There is a problem with using oils with a low viscosity, it won't last very long. What you want to use is higher viscosity lubrication, made for ball bearing(that's what the inside of the fan generally is), but not a requirement. The same used for bicycles works great and is very cheap. Just gently squeeze it in and it'll last for many, many years to come.

[@tinaw.5538]

is that whats wrong with using wd40? low viscosity?

[@HyperCircle]

WD-40 isn't actually a true lubricant. WD stands for "water displacing" and its main use is as a solvent or rust dissolver. The lubricant-like properties of WD-40 come not from the substance itself, but from dissolving components. And the effect doesn't last. Basically they evaporate very fast.

[@ziggytubey]

could use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm up the glue that's on the sticker so it can peel without tearing it

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Great tip!

[@DocTheMedic3]

Cool, I'll probably try this for my asus g73jh, it's impossible to get asus to sell a replacement fan.

[@sayanroychowdhury5591]

Ohhhhhh now I get it, the Mustard Oil must be why my fan is dead now :\

[@GarageMaxedOut]

lol

[@SpikeoutBattleStreet]

Just tried peanut oil. Is complete silent now. Hope it can last long.

[@magneeta3527]

So does it still last?

[@layneschristmascollection8389]

Wish I could fix mine but they sealed off the hole on the back

[@thefuzz.5126]

You CAN use WD-40, I did. It will work fine except, it won't last as long as mechanical oil.

[@jegges6341]

how long did it last with wd40?

[@virtualtools_3021]

its kerosene, it wont last long as it will evaporate...

[@thefuzz.5126]

@@virtualtools_3021 wow it's almost like I just said that?

[@rain0069]

my fan has a metal fan on the sticker side . ..what to do?

[@patmitt5170]

thank you

[@GarageMaxedOut]

You are welcome!

[@gameeverything687]

Yeah, no rubber cap under the sticker. Just a flat surface.

[@StarLight-zp1ch]

any oil alternatives that you can find at home? i am kinda panicking right now cause i don't even have baby oil

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Not really, I am not sure what is in your home but you need a light machine oil. You might find something in the garage, or Walmart sells "lubricant" in the automative section that works well (it is in an aerosol can).

[@juldylan7236]

Awesome, thank you :)

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it could help!

[@Nicolaiii]

My fan has a copper coin shape covering the insides. Is there anyway to open it?

[@PapaMav]

Those are the windings. Do not lube those and you are working from the wrong end.

[@leeandrews2765]

Damn boi!! Damn boi!!!!!! We’re lubing fans now !!!! Damn !!!!!

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Lee Andrews gettin an early start today huh?

[@leeandrews2765]

Garage Maxed Out life’s hard in some parts of the UK

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Lee Andrews haha hey I wasn’t judging

[@leeandrews2765]

Garage Maxed Out 😎

[@OthmanAlikhan]

Thanks for the video =)

[@Sancriswolffox]

Could i use multi purpose silicon lube? it says it removes rust but it also is a lubrication

[@TinyGoliath]

is this a brushless or ball bearing fan does this work for both

[@Laurian21]

i am wondering, is this a poor substitution for a new fan or will it breathe long life?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

p1t it will get a nice long life for the fan, might even run better than new dependinging on how cheap the fan was

[@Laurian21]

i got a corsair cx 600 for about 5 years now but the fan is sometimes making vibrating noises. cable management is pretty bad in my case so it's not very convenient if i had to oil the fan every few months. question is how cheap can i go for a decent fan that has low noise?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

p1t $10-12 I'd say, but you should only need to reoil every 1-2 years, if its drying out faster than that, something is wrong with the fan.

[@Bipolarvideos]

aand if it doesnt have the rubber cap?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Then it is a sealed design and not meant to be lubed. Sometimes you will see a pinhole on the fan side- check for that.

[@Bipolarvideos]

@@GarageMaxedOut i discovered that most of the time you can actually just pop the fan off and lube it like that also you need to be careful AF that you dont break the blades, also it doesnt work on really small laptop fans (as far as I know).

[@nathancardenas2719]

I'm having the hardest time taking out the rubber cap

[@menahemgadka11]

good job

[@MiauMichigan]

Thank you so much!!!

[@Advection357]

Tried these... made maybe 5% difference in noise. :3 Nothing amazing... I think I'll just throw these old fans away and get new ones... was worth a try though, thanks for the video

[@marcello21mr]

Can i use razor oil? Oil for beard?

[@gamarad]

I can't get the rubber cap off. Any suggestions?

[@tinaw.5538]

mine doesnt have that rubber cap. i need to know how to get in there without one.

[@hassanflopy2058]

my fan doesn't have a hole to put the oil what should i do? Edit: i checked both sides.

[@gx4548]

drill a hole in the center of the hub.

[@scoobygms210]

That oil with water down the grease inside and make it go bad even faster then before

[@GarageMaxedOut]

scoobygms210 weird, that hasn’t been my experience. In fact, the repaired ones seem to last longer. Maybe my sample size is too low for a definitive answer.

[@MrSamadolfo]

😒 what about 3in1 multipurpose oil? 😒

[@TubeOfLaughes]

I've 3 in 1 several times on multiple fans over the years and it's never failed me once. However you should use the motor oil variant in the blue and white can and not the multipurpose variant. Just put in like 2-3 drops and then let it sit on top of a cloth for about an hour or so. Then come back and spin the fan, if it still doesn't spin well add 2-3 more drops and let it set longer, sometimes overnight. Eventually the bearings will un-seize. Once the fan is ready, make sure that you leave the fan sitting out a bit longer to dry so any excess oil drains away and doesn't go spinning all over the place in your computer when you replace it.

[@MrSamadolfo]

@@TubeOfLaughes ✌️😏 ok thx for the tip!

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Awesome response @TubeO Laughes. I have this same bottle at home too- amzn.to/32B1jLH

[@davidespinosa1696]

Is it okay to use 5w-30. Only oil I have 👀

[@michaelserrano7097]

Can you tell me all the oils i can use? Like 3in one, or what kind of synthetic viscosity?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Any light machine oil will work- use the ones in the description links

[@Atrix..]

Thanks bro. :)

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Glad it could help!

[@anwarshiekh7142]

I actually use engine oil, although the detergents keep dirt in solution, which is not what one really wants; then again it works fine.

[@creeperking6772]

My fan doesn't spin if I put pub will it spin again?

[@shabutir1820]

I used WD40 for my fan. Works like new again for now. Didnt have any grease available, and the fan was only 6 years old when it died so if it lasts another 6 years with WD40 then its done its job.

[@BizarreWords]

How's it going for you 3 years later?

[@shabutir1820]

@@BizarreWords I havent replaced any fans, but I also cant remember what fan this was haha If I remember correctly it was my cpu fan, which is still going strong.

[@BizarreWords]

@@shabutir1820 wow. Thanks for replying! Awesome!

[@PapaMav]

NEVER use WD40

[@119_mohraflialamzah5]

Do you have any method? I tried this but it won't work.

[@thrakerzad5874]

u saved me from throwing my desktop out the goddamn window.

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Thrakerzad haha you got it!

[@xentai8089]

The cap that goes over the fan after removing the sticker is plastic not rubber so I have no access to getting to the inside of the fan to do this

[@GarageMaxedOut]

You can use a pick to remove it, most just pop out. If the cap is not removable, the fan hub will need to be pulled off to oil it. I show how to do that in this video- kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6XXXoaJhqaMiaM

[@Synthematix]

NEVER use oil or wd40 for fan bearings, always use grease

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Oil and wd40 are two very different things.

[@PapaMav]

I agree against WD40 but disagree about never using oil.

[@ferrograph]

After with everyone else. Good video but machine oil is wrong, it's too thin and dries out. I personally use mobile one engine oil, fans stay working. With machine oil they don't last very long. If the fan has a ball bearing then that needs grease under pressure not oil.

[@Andrew-rv5qt]

car oil would work? like 5w 30?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Yes it will.

[@boykafn8434]

Is there an alternative to this oil from home like toothpaste or something?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

Not really- but there are many alternatives you could use in a pinch if you don't want to grab the sewing machine oil in the description box (its cheap). New motor oil, transmission fluid, gun oil, hair trimmer oil/lube, etc are all some that I might try. Food products aren't a good idea- you don't want to attract any insects.

[@ciobanflorin9832]

so the big bad CORSAIR brand are so cheap that they don't use rubber caps on their psu coolers?

[@GarageMaxedOut]

It probably depends on which line- I would assume the lower end ones don't.

[@icelancer]

I have/had issues with cooler master 212+ fan got out of lubricant after 2 years and stopped spinning, i tried a machine oil , cannot say what kind was it, but that oil burned up after 2 days, it totally burned up i guess from heat once cpu rises 70c , so now i putted graphite lubricant, will find out results in couple hours after i stress test cpu.

[@icelancer]

IceLancer SR Unfortunately , graphite lubricant shows same signs of weakness ... it got burned up after a day of work..Graphite can survive 75C temp, obviously not enough and rotating speed of 2000rpm is killing lubricant..

[@icelancer]

***** Yes indeed the solution is no other then machine oil for sewing machines ! It has to be for sewing machines.No other. It is highly refined and temperature resistant oil. Vent is working perfectly even now. P.S it is not necessary to buy Singer from amazon its super expensive and does nothing else then any other sewing oil.Just buy at your local hardware store.

[@zyvpeecom]

It's not easy to open the back shell~

[@patrickmccall3660]

Dude, you're a fuckin life saver! Thank you.

[@bizbarley74]

I have used razor blade oil with good results. I noticed that and most lite machine oils are 99% Canola oil. Which is an oil I use often for lubricating blades and things like that, just do not use it in cooking. It's very bad for the human body.