Rattling fans

foster grant · 19 Jun 2013 at 13:31

OK I have a Gigabyte Windforce GTX 660 , Only got it a couple of months back ..Link below

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-109-GI&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=2379

Yesterday I took it out of my case and gave it a bit of a clean to get rid of all the dust I could , they needed a good clean out , ...I took the screws out of the fans so I could get to the underside of the fan blades ...all went well and I put the Card back in......only last night when I was on BF3 I was hearing a " Rattle " that I had not heard before ....and it only happens when the card fans kick in .....so....I took the card out and made sure the little tiny screws were sitting soundly ...that done, replaced the card and again I was hearing .....fan rattling when the card fans kick in ....so took the card out...again .....it seems to be the fan that is closest to the input ports on the card ie where i have my DVI and HDMI inputs.....there isn't anything that I can see that is touching the fan itself ....so either I've mucked up the fan myself...and that's unlikely I was very careful and gentle ...or this is just a result of wear and tear or that fan is on its way out ?

I would appreciate any help and/or advice please

Sean_UK · 19 Jun 2013 at 16:57

If it's a Sleeve bearing fan then that particular fans reservoir oil might have emptied.

Sleeve bearing fans you can self-service via filler cap on rear side with machine oil (As in the sort you would get with sowing machine etc, not WD40), providing there's a reservoir cap on rear under the sticker.

No reservoir cap then best to RMA card.

Edit: quick google search suggests most Windforce coolers use Sleeve bearing fans.

foster grant · 19 Jun 2013 at 20:22

OK thank you Sean

Looks like I might just RMA it....and I'm also thinking is it a common fault ...as my daughter has a windforce 7850

Sean_UK · 19 Jun 2013 at 21:17

No problem

and yes it's quite a common fan fault.

Salvaged a quite a few sleeve bearing fans via method mentioned.

spixelspixel · 19 Jun 2013 at 22:41

Are you sure its not coil whine as it can sound like rattling.

Try increasing the fan rpm with msi afterburner while not stressing the card.

foster grant · 20 Jun 2013 at 00:05

Well I've actually been using Afterburner and that's when I heard it , Again tonight also ....had the Fans up @65% and no noise....put them up to 70% and I then began to hear it .

I'm gonna have another check at the fans again in the morning...just to make sure no little wires are catching the blades

So I may spend an hour or two looking at Graphics cards tonight lol

Sean_UK · 20 Jun 2013 at 05:16

In below example from 0:55 onwards; you can hear what a sleeve bearing fan tends to sound like when in dire need of reservoir top up

Sound similar?

foster grant · 20 Jun 2013 at 09:12

Sean_UK said:
In below example from 0:55 onwards; you can hear what a sleeve bearing fan tends to sound like when in dire need of reservoir top up

Sound similar?

Yes...very similar..mines not that bad ....yet !! lol

So just have to try and workout what card to go for now ...dont have very much to spend though lol

Sean_UK · 20 Jun 2013 at 13:30

So the cards out of warranty? :confused:

Have you checked behind the fans rear sticker for small plug/cap? Could save yourself a lot of cash...

foster grant · 20 Jun 2013 at 13:44

Sean_UK said:
So the cards out of warranty?

Have you checked behind the fans rear sticker for small plug/cap? Could save yourself a lot of cash...

Dont think the cards out of warranty as far as i know

but im thinking If this fault is common to this particular card ...then i should choose something else ?

illuz · 20 Jun 2013 at 13:50

It's not a fault mate, it's just the fans work. How those particular fans work.

Think of it as your car oil running out, so you just scrap it and buy a new car. Who in the right mind would do that, when you can just top up the oil?

foster grant · 20 Jun 2013 at 13:53

Well I know nothing about cars lol....but yes I see your point

Sean_UK · 20 Jun 2013 at 13:56

Well...machine oil is less than £3.00 delivered, if the fan has a rear plug/cap then fault can fixed in less than 5mins. Bearing wont be shot yet if it's not bad as one in linked video.

Or buy mini-PWM to PWM adapter, plus two 80mm, 92mm or 120mm PWM twin ball bearing or better fans, and ghetto cable tie them onto heatsink.

alex_123_fra · 20 Jun 2013 at 18:48

I had the same issue with my windforce GTX 670. Only happened when fans over 70% or so. Annoyed the hell out of me to the point that it got sold and decided to put the 78- under water to prevent a repeat performance.

foster grant · 21 Jun 2013 at 00:34

Yeah I was kinda fed up about it also, ...anyways its still covered so thats good ...and i chose This ...i know im gonna get a few comments either way lol but its chose and thats it for now

Sean_UK · 21 Jun 2013 at 00:49

Well if it's fitted with MSi's Mark IV FrozR cooler you wont run into same fan problem, however if its an older revision then you might.

One last time but have you even checked for this :confused:

>

2 or 3 drops of £3.00 machine oil under that plug (If there is one) = possibly fixed.

foster grant · 21 Jun 2013 at 01:01

Well as far as I know it's MSi's Mark IV FrozR

And to be honest I didnt actually check for that cap as the card was still covered ....although had it not been so....i would have given the oil option a go

Sean_UK · 21 Jun 2013 at 01:14

Fair enough

Imo well worth waiting a week to see where the GTX760 price ends up.

foster grant · 21 Jun 2013 at 01:18

Had cash not been so much of an issue I would have gone for a lovely GTX 770