On Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 10:34 AM, <zlinw@mcmedia.com.au> wrote:

I am posting this in luv-main as as far as I am concerend this is an issue of critcal importance. I have found over the years fans (usually sleeve bearing) will eventauall get noisy. For some time like most people I simply purchased new fans, I have found though that most sleeve bearing fans can be lubricated greatly extending there life. I am posting this at this time as I have found over the years they usually become noisy around this time of year. I in fact have just done a couple yesterday.

The procedure is to get access to the fan, place it horizontally with the actaul fan down. Under the label in the centre is a depression around 7 to 8 mm dia, this has the fans thrust bearing in it. A couple of drops of machine oil, making sure one does not get any oil out side the bearing is all that is required. To reseal for most fans I use a square of insulation tape. I have a number of 80mm fans still going well after 10 years using this procedure. Now if one has some Thermaltake fans one job is good deal easier is these have a rubber plug over the bearing (under the label). In this case one carefully removes the plug with a sharp implement making sure not to damage it, a couple of drops of machine oil and replace the plug.

It may take some hours for the fans to become completely silent again, the longest time so far has been around 5 or 6 hours.

I have been doing this now for at least 8 or 9 years with only a single failure, even then I did not give the fan enough time for the oil to penitrate.

IMPORTANT Note, Do __NOT__, I repeat do __NOT__ use motor oil, this oil WILL gum and eventuall sieze the fan. I use sewing machine oil avaible from most supermarkets.

I agree I also service fans the only change being is that I use a silicon based lubricant as once the solvent has evaporated the remaining lubricant does not stick to dust as oil does I apply the silicon lubricant with a syringe as the silicon is usually in a spray can , I just spray a little in to a cup and draw it up with the syringe and apply as needed -- Mark "Pockets" Clohesy Mob Phone: (+61) 406 417 877 Email: hiddensoul@twistedsouls.com G-Talk: mark.clohesy@gmail.com - GNU/Linux.. Linux Counter #457297 "I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code" "Linux is user friendly...its just selective about who its friends are" What is the quickest way to push* ifconfig down *then* ifconfig up* to 5000 or so workstations? "Power Cycle the building"