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How to service the 08 fans?

S

Shademaster

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 8, 2009
63
0
Hey Guys,

My good old 08 Macpro is getting quite dusty underneath my desk so I was thinking about cleaning it out really well.

Now I have read on these forums a great many tips of getting the dust out of small places.

I am going to try out the paper cup trick were you place a straw in a hole through the bottom of a paper cup. You then place that cup over the tube of the vacuum cleaner so you can get the dust out of really small places.

I was wondering how one services the fans? Don't they need some WD-40 or something? I am not hearing them at the moment but I'd like to take good care of my computer BEFORE something fails and not after.

Anyone got any tips?

Thanks in advance!
 
Do not put WD-40 on your fans. Just clean them. I use a hand vac with the little edging attachment and a "computer" keyboard brush. It's semi soft bristle brush that is light enough not to damage something but heavy enough to pull that dust off a plastic blade. Don't use any WD-40.
 
Yes - don't be spraying WD40 on the fans. It's a mineral oil and may not play nice with other things in the Mac. It may also attract gunk and dust itself.

I use a compressed air can to clean my Mac Pro:
http://www.amazon.com/Compressed-Gas-Duster-10oz-Can/dp/B001AFHDWC

(actually I use Kenro brand - but I think that's UK only)

I take the side off, take the whole machine outside and just blast it. All the dust just flies off. Usually do it once or twice a year.

Be really careful poking things like straws and vacuum nozzels in the machine. The good thing about using a narrow jet of compressed gas is that you don't have to risk poking and damaging any components.
 
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I'm going to have to come down on the side of WD-40. Paired with duct tape, there's nothing you can't fix with those two. :D
 
Just in case that your fans start making a noise and you don't want to replace them (Apple replacement parts can get pretty expensive), almost every fan has a tiny hole in the propellor part which is covered by a small plastic/rubber pad or a sticker. If you remove it, you get to the bearing part of the fan. A drip of machine oil in there generally restores the running smoothness of the fan.
 
Transporteur said:
Just in case that your fans start making a noise and you don't want to replace them (Apple replacement parts can get pretty expensive), almost every fan has a tiny hole in the propellor part which is covered by a small plastic/rubber pad or a sticker. If you remove it, you get to the bearing part of the fan. A drip of machine oil in there generally restores the running smoothness of the fan.
Click to expand...

Awesome tips guys, I definitely did not knew that!

I'll buy a can of compressed air and use that to clean it out, I'll then use some machine oil on the bearings.

Thanks!
 
Shademaster said:
I'll buy a can of compressed air and use that to clean it out, I'll then use some machine oil on the bearings.
!
Click to expand...

Please be cautious with compressed air in cans. Don't shake the can before using and always hold it upright, otherwise it might spray out some liquid.
 
rdowns said:
I'm going to have to come down on the side of WD-40. Paired with duct tape, there's nothing you can't fix with those two. :D
Click to expand...

Scientists say that there are four fundamental forces (Strong Nuclear, Electromagnetic, Weak Nuclear and Gravitation).

But engineers know the truth, which is that there are just two forces: Duct Tape (which binds the universe together) and WD40 (which separates things). Happiness (and continued existence) lies in correctly balancing the forces of Duct Tape and WD40... :D
 
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