Fans spinning up now and then on 2007 15" MBP!

[The-Pro]

Sup Guys,

A friend of mine has a 15" 2.4ghz C2D, 4gb ram, 80GB Intel SSD, 2007 MacBook Pro. When she uses it, every 15mins (give or take 5 mins) the fans spin up to 6000rpm and stay there for 15 secs to 3 mins and then go back to normal. The temps are always around 50°C. It happens when shes just browsing, but then also when shes on Skype. Skype video chat is probably the most intensive thing she does on the MBP.

does anyone know what the problem might be?? i thought that it could be a bad thermal sensor??

Couple things to note:
- it was a machine bought second hand.
- the machine was owned by smoker!!! before she bought it there is like brown stains in the entire machine. I took the machine apart partly to get rid of the most of the residue so that it will stop stinking like smoke I replaced the ODD but didnt touch the other components!!
- The machine had a logic board replacement in december 2010 due to 8600 M problem.

If this creates actual problems it will go to an apple store, but if i could repair it that would be better.

I would love some help and insight

Cheers

 

[The-Pro]

no one????? thats a pitty

 

[kappaknight]

Uh... not sure what you're expecting to see here. If she's doing Skype or watching videos on the MBP, things will heat up. In order to keep the computer at your cool 50 degrees, fans need to work a bit harder to do so.

The A/C in our house turns on intermittently for the same reasons.

What's the problem?

 

[The-Pro]

well it spins up to 6000 rpm, then go back down all the time, even when shes not doing anything. so there is no reason for the fans to spin up, the fans spin up to 6000 when the temps are 50 or below even. Not like anything is hot and therefore needs cooling

 

[kappaknight]

well it spins up to 6000 rpm, then go back down all the time, even when shes not doing anything. so there is no reason for the fans to spin up, the fans spin up to 6000 when the temps are 50 or below even. Not like anything is hot and therefore needs cooling

If you're confident it's a bad thermal sensor, why not take it into the Apple Store, replicate the problem w/ a Genius and get it replaced? Even if your gf isn't doing anything, the Mac could be doing something in the background.

 

[The-Pro]

thanks,

well i was just wondering if there might be a simple fix, and people had it before.

 

[MattZani]

If your GF's machine was originally bought in 2007, even with an extended warranty it would have run out. So it will just cost to do anything at Apple.

Could strip it again, check the fans, check for any obvious faults on the temperature sensors, and clean the heatsinks of thermal paste and apply some new stuff.

 

[The-Pro]

If your GF's machine was originally bought in 2007, even with an extended warranty it would have run out. So it will just cost to do anything at Apple.

Could strip it again, check the fans, check for any obvious faults on the temperature sensors, and clean the heatsinks of thermal paste and apply some new stuff.

cheers.

yeh exactly, dont really wan to spend the amount of money which apple woudl charge

I examined the fans when i replaced the optical drive. the single blades of the fans are covered in a layer of grease and dust. is that a problem??
how could i spot faults on the temperature sensors?? is it just if they have detached or not, or something more complicated??
i was thinking of replacing the thermal paste, i will do that anyway i think.

 

[MattZani]

Well the cleaner they are the better they will operate.

Just any nicks in the cables, them not being seated properly etc.

All I can think of really, I'm going to change my thermal paste as soon as College is over.

 

[The-Pro]

yeh i was trying to clean them but is some serious grease. It looks really discussing as all the smoke the fans have been sucking in over like 3 years from the previous owner have left a good 1mm thick coating of stuff. I shoudl taken pics of the insides of the MBP when i took it apart and posted them here, so people know how smoking infront of their machine screws it up. it was really gross. No kidding the aluminium of the battery, where it says 15" Macbook Pro..., was BROWN.

kk thanks, ill check them out soon, thanks man. how many are there?? 1 under right fan, 1 under left fan, any more??

ill do the thermal paste within the next month or so, cheers.