Other PC fan oil

Ok, so here is a good question - What is the best oil to use to libe up those dusty PC fans? Hair clipper oil?

 

I'd just replace them... or use a vacuum cleaner

Some oils will eat through the plastic as well, so I wouldn't try any out at all

 

I was told sewing machine oil worked well.

 

Yup sewing machine oil is fine.

 

You have to strip the fan right down and take the fan impeller out of the frame then clean the shaft properly, it takes like 30 seconds you need a sharpe instrumant to peel out the plastic clip that holds it togther.
Then a small amount of any thin oil like 3 in 1 will do great, I take mine to pieces about every year and clean and oil them, my 120mm fans are 4 years old and still OK, I think they run nicer after the first strip down and oiling maybe they are run in?

 

Gun oil would work nicely as well if you have any.

 

WD4D?

Sewing Machine oil or Gun Oil works pretty well too.

 

Gun oil you day?Yes - got that! Lots of online threads say that WD-40 is the worst thing you can do - not good for the fan at all. Could this be true?

 

I would be bad if you just sprayed the fan with it hoping it will get in, if you strip the fan down as I have said to do then it will be fine just on the bearing surfaces.
If it gets on the plastic it will probably rot it eventually.

 

WD-40 isn't very good for this kind of thing, it tends to destroy any grease that's left. I suppose ideally you would just use axle grease.

 

WD40 is not a lubricant, it's a water displacer (hence the name)

 

try a silicone-based paintball marker lube. the cheap stuff.

won't eat plastic, etch anodized aluminum, or anything like that.

also, dry graphite might work in a pinch, but wont last that long ...

 

This could be a good thread, I'd like to know how to "improve" my fans to lower noise etc...

Please could someone post an idiot's guid to stripping, cleaning, lubing and rebuilding a fan?

Many thanks,

Cleggy.

 

DOW-33

 

I may write one this week, but for now have a look here for a guide which includes stripping a fan. For lubing just oil the shaft (*snicker*).

 

My bad.

For some odd reason I was looking at a container of gun oil, and even worse thought it was WD4D..

Need to label my stuff..

 

no, no DOW 33 or 55, or hater sauce, or any expensive lube. a $3 bottle of spyder or tippman oil ... or gold cup gun oil if you already have it.

i'm sure the DOW would work, but it would involve tearing down, greasing, and rebuilding. the oils, 1 drop, good to go

 

My bad. 1/4 oz of DOW-33 is like $2 and is made of silicone so I thought that was what you were talking about.