Dimension 8300 CPU Fan Failure

Every day I hate my Dimension 8300 just a little more...

In recent times, the large fan at the back of the case (which is ducted over
the CPU and its heatsink) has been growing steadily louder and louder. I
finally pulled it out tonight to see what was going on, thinking it was a
case of dry bearings. Nope...several paddles have nicks and one has a major
chunk missing from it.

I suppose Dell spare parts has replacement fans, but why did this happen and
has anyone here ever seen anything like it? (The computer itself has never
been abused or mistreated. Nor has anyone ever attempted to stick anything
into its fans. These blades weren't broken a few months ago when I cleaned
the system.)

http://12.206.251.215/bad-dell-fan.jpg (640x480, 58KB)

William

did you try and vacuum it recently?
i used a big 6.5 hp shopvac on mine and it disintegrated the fan blades.
too much power is no good.
easy to replace the fan assembly.
no reason to hate the old reliable 8300.


William R. Walsh wrote:
Every day I hate my Dimension 8300 just a little more...

In recent times, the large fan at the back of the case (which is ducted over
the CPU and its heatsink) has been growing steadily louder and louder. I
finally pulled it out tonight to see what was going on, thinking it was a
case of dry bearings. Nope...several paddles have nicks and one has a major
chunk missing from it.

I suppose Dell spare parts has replacement fans, but why did this happen and
has anyone here ever seen anything like it? (The computer itself has never
been abused or mistreated. Nor has anyone ever attempted to stick anything
into its fans. These blades weren't broken a few months ago when I cleaned
the system.)

http://12.206.251.215/bad-dell-fan.jpg (640x480, 58KB)

William

Hi!

did you try and vacuum it recently?
i used a big 6.5 hp shopvac on mine and it disintegrated the fan blades.

No. I have used an air compressor, but only on a low pressure setting and
I'm certain there was no fan blade damage.

I don't want to "dislike" my 8300, but it just hasn't been that great of a
system over time.

William

"William R. Walsh" m
wrote in message news:nlSZi.196707$Fc.175491@attbi_s21...
Hi!

did you try and vacuum it recently?
i used a big 6.5 hp shopvac on mine and it disintegrated the fan blades.

No. I have used an air compressor, but only on a low pressure setting and
I'm certain there was no fan blade damage.

I don't want to "dislike" my 8300, but it just hasn't been that great of a
system over time.

William




At some point it sounds like the fan blades may have been striking the power
cable for the fan itself. That's the only thing (meant to be in the box)
that has enough length to reach the fan - and then only if it's not routed
properly or becomes dislodged and curls upward ( ie- if the machine were
moved around in the past, etc).

Also sounds like it's been hitting it for a period of time given your
description.

Go to Dell spare parts or ebay and pick up the entire fan/shroud assembly.
Take maybe 5 / 10 minutes to swap out.


Stew

It looks like you haven't cleaned it in five years.

It's not five years old. That fan isn't brand new, but there is no five
years worth of dust on it.

William

Hi!

At some point it sounds like the fan blades may have been striking the
power
cable for the fan itself.

I just don't know what did it. The cable was firmly in place, partially
going under the (massive) processor heatsink. It's not as nicely placed now,
but is still out of the way.

Even more suspiciously, I couldn't find any "fan flakes" inside the box or
around it. It sits on a wooden shelf well above the floor and with nothing
else really nearby. The shelf is big enough that it could have caught the
"flakes" had they been thrown.

I did oil the fan lightly although I could not detect much--if
any--roughness in it. Yet when I put it back, the difference was night and
day. Here it is a few days later and the fan is quiet. Which means either
the oil worked or it spun all the blades off. g

(Seriously, the fan is going. I've been watching it periodically while I
plan to get a replacement.)

William

"William R. Walsh" m
wrote in message news:Eq2%i.202354$Fc.84416@attbi_s21...
Hi!

At some point it sounds like the fan blades may have been striking the
power
cable for the fan itself.

I just don't know what did it. The cable was firmly in place, partially
going under the (massive) processor heatsink. It's not as nicely placed
now,
but is still out of the way.

Even more suspiciously, I couldn't find any "fan flakes" inside the box or
around it. It sits on a wooden shelf well above the floor and with nothing
else really nearby. The shelf is big enough that it could have caught the
"flakes" had they been thrown.

I did oil the fan lightly although I could not detect much--if
any--roughness in it. Yet when I put it back, the difference was night and
day. Here it is a few days later and the fan is quiet. Which means either
the oil worked or it spun all the blades off. g

(Seriously, the fan is going. I've been watching it periodically while I
plan to get a replacement.)

William




It looks as bad as any I have seen. I'll give you credit for that much. ;-)

Thing is, it should be out of balance running in that condition which would
likely cause it to fail prematurely I'd think.