IBM ThinkPad T43p fan noise problem

[SteveTalamanca]

I have the same buzzing sound on my T43. First, does anyone know how to remove just the fan motor and leave the heat sink in place? I have another fan and heatsink but it's the wrong one. Second, if I have to replace the whole thing, the owner's manual says to get FRU 26R9074 but when I search online for that I find many more models for 26R7957. Would both work? The latter is about $33 and the former is about $60. Third, what kind of lubricant did you use -- and where do you find thermal grease?

[blackholekillerful]

tip:vent it prevents over heating and its keeps it from buzzing

[brightness86]

@blackholekillerful Thanks, but I already found out what causes the buzzing and it's not because the system got to hot. 

[ewalker3]

wow I am having the same issue! Its now starting to drive me crazy.

[milllipede]

I had this problem with my T43p for over 1 year. It got progressively worse until it the fan finally stopped working. I ordered a new (and very expensive, $120 CAD) fan from IBM which fixed the problem. That was four months ago. The fan has since started buzzing again. I am not pleased. Hopefully things work out better for you. I'm still not sure what the source of this problem is.

[brightness86]

@milllipede My T43p seems to be working ok but it runs fairly slow now in comparison to laptops built within the last year or so. I actually have since replaced my Thinkpad since making that video. I do still have it around.

Good luck.

[blackholekillerful]

@brightness86 the problem is you're not Venting

[sharrynuk]

My T43 (14 months old) started making that noise after I picked it up by the lower-right corner, near the fingerprint scanner. I think flexing may have something to do with it. I will try replacing the fan as soon as I get some thermal grease.

[brightness86]

@sharrynuk I just got a new fan from Lenovo; I think it came with some grease on the assembly but I'm not exactly an expert on these sorts of things. Good luck! I've heard a variety of explanations why these fans fail but the flexing could have been a factor...

[yogangster55]

had that problem i opened fan and took all shit out and now my fan wont go fast enogh:S

[24carrotskate]

Hey if some one can help me I have one of these laptop and when I start it up it says a

Disk read error ocuurd press crt+alt+del to restar if done that a billion times and there is no disk in it

[animebsd]

@24carrotskate lol it meens hard disk has a read error

you got buy i new hard drive

[24carrotskate]

@animebsd dam thanks man for telling me that had important files on it

[animebsd]

@24carrotskate yeaaa

[brightness86]

@24carrotskate Try updating the BIOS or starting in Safe Mode perhaps...

[xXAzureZeroXx]

@24carrotskate Try going to the bios and setting the default settings for the bios.

I think you would hove to press F9 to set the bios settings but it should tell you if you look at the bottom of the screen there it should say what all the buttons do. Then just save the bios settings. Hope this helped you. :)

[DarkTemp0]

the fan assembly can be opened and the fan dissasambled, that's what i did.

You open the fan, lubricate it really wel, then you put it back togeter BUT make sure the fan is centered, otherrwise it will wobble and make noises.

I had even worse noise on my t40, solved it like that, and saved some bucks :)

[holdane]

hey, ive got an t41p and the same problem..

first you have to clean your fan, when it wont be better, the fan is crashed..

ive to buy an new for my pc.

[theringfilm1]

my t43 is just loud lol

[finalfantasyg0d]

my laptop overheated and turnt off i turnt it on a few hours later to find this loud fan noise it sounds like the fan working overtime with low pwoer source to it caughgt on something i dont know what to do it overheats quickly now and dont know solotions that wont void warrentee and suggestions Peeps

[nartus2005]

Only replace the fan or Heatsink?

[brightness86]

@nartus2005 The fan assembly is part of the Heat sink.

[brightness86]

@nartus2005 The fan and heat sink are one assembly.

[DarkTemp0]

@brightness86 actually you can pop open the heatsink to just replace the fan

[natefareel]

ok i had the same problem too but i just fixed it yesterday!!!

what i did was open up the computer to see the fan and i opened the metal cover

and lifted up the fan it self not the whole unit. i sprayed the metal rod in the center of the fan with dw40 and put it back and it work like new

[steviemack212]

do you know of a cheap place to buy a fan? mine is doing the same thing

[brightness86]

@steviemack212

I got mine directly from Lenovo but I've seen them at 3rd party vendor websites. I paid like $70 or something like that...Lenovo has a replacement part for the defective fan now.

[cofjohn]

Mine is making that exact same noise right now!

Thanks for the suggestion canadianidots444, will give it a try

[canadianidots444]

I have the same exact laptop you need to open up the keyboard and blow the fan with a dust remover can and blast it with pressurized air.

[8B6EB8]

my t40 wont open up so i can fix the fan :S help??

[brightness86]

My T43 keyboard is actually stuck as well so I haven't been able to fix my own laptop :(

[Maul9999]

remove keyboard first

[brightness86]

@8B6EB8 I pried the keyboard out using a knife because it was stuck in the chassis. After that it was a breeze.

[static1985]

I took my fan off and lubricated it, it's working a lot better now. 80% quieter, was like yours before.

I hope i don't get the fan death message ha.

[krazykap0]

i´ve got the same problem with a T43 TYPE 2668

[Alltracavenger]

If you haven't already, just pick up a new 'long fan' on Feebay. It'll run you about $40, but it sounds like your fan is getting on its last legs.

This video helped me diagnose my own fan issue, and it's best to replace it before it dies completely and you're stuck with waiting on a new fan to come in.

Just be sure to get some good thermal paste(I like Arctic Silver 5) and apply it to help give you cooler temps.

[notsogood9876]

Yeah, just wait... I've had 2 thinkpads in my family and the fans eventually broke on both of them. Pretty soon you will get the "fan error" message!!!

[yanchikr]

I have the same problem. I dont know what to do? Does anyone replace the fan? or something?

The noise just killing me

[krazykap0]

ME TOO

[dubash1]

my T60p sounds exactly like that

[suga]

same prob with my T43. i took the entire laptop and cleaned everything with pressurized air.. its still as loud as ever

[Riack]

My fan has been making the same nouse, and just today the fan failed entirely. Anytime I try to turn it on now, after the bootup screen it goes black with the words "Fan Error" in the top left corner. I did some research on this and apparently the IBM Thinkpad T43/p models have a lot of problems with the heatsink/fan and a lot of people have gotten this fan error. Only way for me now is to replace the fan unit otherwise this laptop is toast. The fans itself you can buy for 30-40 on ebay

[MottBonzo]

wow, that sounds like something is stuck in it. i put up a video of my x30 having a fan error- worst noise you could ever imagine.

[DigitalEchoFox]

Yeah it sounds exactly like that. I once had that on a customer's PC - but it was simple to fix as there was just a loose cable end resting on the CPU heatsink. Just tied it up and it was fine.

You may have to lift up the keyboard and take a look.

[MottBonzo]

the x30 is now dead and thrown somewhere

[dkzbrandt1]

i have it too owned it for like 2 days. Nothing is wrong with the computer so far. great answers anyways

[dilka88]

Hi I own IBM R61. I bought it 2 months ago. Now it produces extremely annoying and strange sounds as long the fan is on. As much as I can remember it hasn't been doing this until today. Any ideas what is the cause...

[streetfires]

and forgot to tell, since you do it when the frame is cold, you might want to leave until it heats up then check the frame one more time. so far that's the only solution worked for me.

[streetfires]

spent all day today to resolve this issue.

I took laptop apart. Here is the problem: (Oil or Dust clean will not help) Problem is inside the fan itself with the magnets, they are shaking a little, that makes a noise.

I found temp solution: take keyboard off, try to bent a little fan frame, when "on", from diff angle. You'll hear it makes less noise at one point. Then take a screw driver and bent the frame permanently. it helped me.

[stylus98]

i read somewhere that blowing air cleaning stuff into the fan could do it.. saying it might be the dust in the fan that's causing the problem... i tried.. but didn;t work..although i didn't take apart the laptop to do it. i only blew it through the air fan filter at the side of the laptop. i REALLy wanted to take the computer apart to see what the problem is.. but i am too scared to do it..

[brightness86]

I blew the air cleaning stuff in the fan output and it didn't help. When I purchase a new computer, I may just have my way with my T43p and disassemble it completely to see what is wrong with it.

[stylus98]

if anyone finds the problem... please message me or reply to this comment... GOD PLEASE

[stylus98]

yea.. i have the same problem with my own t60 also.. you think this has something to do with lenovo computers in general? it's REALLy pissing me OFFF

[alvrgzman]

Hey, I have same problem with my T60p. Did you ever get a fix? The buzz only stops when then fan is off.

Thank you.

[brightness86]

See reply @dre12b. I haven't gotten a fix yet. My fan is normally so loud and obnoxious, I have trouble concentrating when I'm studying. As I'm typing this the fan is at...was at it's normal level, it just kicked on its buzzing/humming sounds.

[dre12b]

Hey, I just started having the same problem with my T60. Did you ever get a fix? The buzz only stops when then fan is off.

[brightness86]

I have tried a couple of times to remove the keyboard and see what the problem is, but the keyboard seems to be stuck in the system. Otherwise, I have blown some pressurized air through the vents to clean them out but it didn't stop the buzzing.

[MTryder1]

I think you have to remove the palmrest too. The screws that you have to remove are labeled on the bottom of the laptop- just unscrew those, pull and disconnect the palmrest, and then you can do the same with the keyboard no prob- it's really easy. Whether or not anything you do after that will fix your fan is a whole different story though