Question Noise problem with stock Intel CPU fan ?

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.valkyrie.

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Nov 29, 2018
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hi, my cpu fan make a strange annoying sound. it goes up then down.

i was going to change it and get a new one but a repair center told me to use oil on it.

anyone had same experience? What kind of oil should I use and where exactly to apply it?
 
If it is an OEM cooler like is typical, then you just need to strap a fan blowing down onto the cooler. Quite cheap way to do it.

You can put in new coolers on OEM boards like that too. Basically get a cooler that has a threaded backplate/post system and fits the CPU socket type. Discard the backplate/posts. Deepcool Gammaxx, Hyper 212, and many others have mounts like that.

All you need do after that is get some M3 machine screws of an appropriate length and some washers. Basically a hard mount, but as long as you tighten things evenly it is fine. If the cooler has springs on the posts, those can be repurposed if they fit under the washers.

Essentially instead of screwing a nut onto a post to push down the cooler, you are running a screw down from the top, through the cooler mounts, into the chassis threaded holes to pull the cooler down.

Just have to be conscious of interior height. If this is a slim design, then most tower coolers are not going to work. I'm not aware of any decent down draft coolers that can be made to fit onto integrated backplates, but I also haven't tried.
 
First, FORGET about oil! Decades ago and earlier, fans were constructed so you actually could disassemble them to reach the bearings and add a tiny drop of light oil, then re-assemble to work. NOT SO for a long time now. The fan interior design is now quite different, and they all are built with sealed-up frames. You cannot break the frame open to get inside to components, and you cannot re-assemble the cracked mess if you try! If you simply spray or drip oil onto the exterior of the fan, that oil will go everywhere and cause more problems inside by contaminating all the wrong things. When fan bearings wear out now, your only choice is to replace the fan.

Now, we need a clearer description of your issue. Almost all the replies above assume you have an older fan with worn out bearings, and that may NOT be your issue. IF your bearings are worn, there is a common sequence of developing symptoms. First you notice that the fan makes an odd noise when it first starts up from being cold and off for a long time. But after a minute or less the noise stops and does not happen again. If you reboot it is not there. But if you shut down for hours so the system cools off, the noise IS there again for a short time. As months go by, the period of initial noise gets longer. Eventually the noise becomes permanent. And after that, it stops completely because the fan is seized up and NOT working at all! So, IF that is your pattern, plan to replace the fan before it is giving almost constant noise.

There's another cause that many have seen that has nothing to do with worn fan bearings or old fans. There are two very similar cooling control systems in your computer. One is only for cooling your CPU chip, and the other is concerned with cooling the entire case interior and the mobo components. Each system uses a temperature sensor to guide how fast its fans run to blow cooling air. Many such systems change the fan speed the control in steps, not in a smooth continuous manner. When this happens (either speed up or slow down) the user may notice the sound change. SOMETIMES this becomes annoying because it happens frequently. Usually that is because, just by coincidence, the actual normal operating temperature at the related sensor is very close to the point of the control system where it is programmed to change speeds in one fair-sized step. So, as the small normal variations of temperature happen, they become very obvious repeated changes of fan noise up and down. This is NOT a flaw of the parts and does not require replacing anything. If you do not want simply to ignore it, there is a simple fix you can do by adjusting the settings of the automatic fan control system for whichever fan is doing all the speed changing.

So, IF your symptoms are NOT like the development of worn fan bearings, and more like the second cause I described above, post back here for details of how to adjust. For that we need to know what computer system - maker and model - you have. OR, if it was custom-built from components, tell us the maker and model of the motherboard, and what CPU cooler system you have. We also will need to help you figure out whether this noise comes from the CPU cooler or the case ventilation fans. With such info we can look up details and give you more complete instructions.

On the other hand, if your issue really does appear to be part way along the developing sequence of fan bearing wear, we do need to identify which fan is making the noise. IF it is the CPU cooler system, we need to know exactly what cooler unit is mounted on the CPU chip. In many such cases one can replace ONLY the fan of that unit, and not remove and replace the entire cooler on top of the CPU. We can advise with more info from you.
 
Last edited:
Paperdoc said:
First, FORGET about oil! Decades ago and earlier, fans were constructed so you actually could disassemble them to reach the bearings and add a tiny drop of light oil, then re-assemble to work. NOT SO for a long time now. The fan interior design is now quite different, and they all are built with sealed-up frames. You cannot break the frame open to get inside to components, and you cannot re-assemble the cracked mess if you try! If you simply spray or drip oil onto the exterior of the fan, that oil will go everywhere and cause more problems inside by contaminating all the wrong things. When fan bearings wear out now, your only choice is to replace the fan.

Now, we need a clearer description of your issue. Almost all the replies above assume you have an older fan with worn out bearings, and that may NOT be your issue. IF your bearings are worn, there is a common sequence of developing symptoms. First you notice that the fan makes an odd noise when it first starts up from being cold and off for a long time. But after a minute or less the noise stops and does not happen again. If you reboot it is not there. But if you shut down for hours so the system cools off, the noise IS there again for a short time. As months go by, the period of initial noise gets longer. Eventually the noise becomes permanent. And after that, it stops completely because the fan is seized up and NOT working at all! So, IF that is your pattern, plan to replace the fan before it is giving almost constant noise.

There's another cause that many have seen that has nothing to do with worn fan bearings or old fans. There are two very similar cooling control systems in your computer. One is only for cooling your CPU chip, and the other is concerned with cooling the entire case interior and the mobo components. Each system uses a temperature sensor to guide how fast its fans run to blow cooling air. Many such systems change the fan speed the control in steps, not in a smooth continuous manner. When this happens (either speed up or slow down) the user may notice the sound change. SOMETIMES this becomes annoying because it happens frequently. Usually that is because, just by coincidence, the actual normal operating temperature at the related sensor is very close to the point of the control system where it is programmed to change speeds in one fair-sized step. So, as the small normal variations of temperature happen, they become very obvious repeated changes of fan noise up and down. This is NOT a flaw of the parts and does not require replacing anything. If you do not want simply to ignore it, there is a simple fix you can do by adjusting the settings of the automatic fan control system for whichever fan is doing all the speed changing.

So, IF your symptoms are NOT like the development of worn fan bearings, and more like the second cause I described above, post back here for details of how to adjust. For that we need to know what computer system - maker and model - you have. OR, if it was custom-built from components, tell us the maker and model of the motherboard, and what CPU cooler system you have. We also will need to help you figure out whether this noise comes from the CPU cooler or the case ventilation fans. With such info we can look up details and give you more complete instructions.

On the other hand, if your issue really does appear to be part way along the developing sequence of fan bearing wear, we do need to identify which fan is making the noise. IF it is the CPU cooler system, we need to know exactly what cooler unit is mounted on the CPU chip. In many such cases one can replace ONLY the fan of that unit, and not remove and replace the entire cooler on top of the CPU. We can advise with more info from you.
Click to expand...

It's the stock cooler for the Intel i3-6100 and temps are around 55 under full load.
The noise from it makes me want to put a pen between the fan blades to make it stop!
 
a new stock intel cooler is around 1.5$.
if oils is not an option, then i should get one in near future.

also i have a LGA775 cooler which works fine. but i'm not sure if i can use it here with this cpu.
any idea on that one?
the heatsink is taller. but other than that, they look the same.
i know for sure, it works fine even at +2000rpm. (this one makes me crazy at 1300rpm)
 
.valkyrie. said:
from that link, i saw 119$.
i believe that's not a good option for a 10$ worth cpu
Click to expand...
Not sure where its taking you, but should go to amazon and its $19.90


You also need to watch out as the LGA 775 uses a 72mm hole spread vs the 75MM on the 1151. The z height, top of motherboard to top of cpu is 18.47mm on the 775 vs 10.23mm on the 1151 socket so you wont get adequate pressure form the cooler to cpu.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-Assassin-Heatpipes-TL-C12C-LGA1700/dp/B09YY5LQV9/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zqq6nz_acWvS8--lWpKCj1DOYIIJ5IpUsMTWM6DNSYxQ97sOLpYQbaJ3jaTVmefeKZZpTks6TOwaMHDrZMlRriUV-dgVLstGHb5Xl7di4ELbx_hxS66-ASN34ghj6eYZIIBq4DOND-SN_J4soy1yxDF0ofkWs1MlC5yg-UQJ1WQNyirvl5SzPnvatCHToxMHR5quZttlgUdDiTQmpi7gYoYuXbemVzL-fzPxL_Qe0mc.c3tL7BWbo5Qztj-9LQ9WOEwEVkovNB3Q3IQwZR2QMTY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Thermalright+Assassin+King+120+SE&qid=1728496448&sr=8-4&th=1
 
Last edited:
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Practically any cheap tower cooler is going to be better than the garbage Intel uses for stock cooling. This one is more than enough for your i3, and should fit in any standard case.

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X 90 SE 43 CFM CPU Cooler ($16.90 @ Newegg Sellers)
Total: $16.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-10-09 14:23 EDT-0400
 
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You have not given us a more detailed description of your issue. Is it worn bearings that require replacement of the cooler unit, or is is a control issue of simply changing speeds and sound?

IF you decide the cooler needs replacement, I see now that there is no simple way to replace the FAN only on that cooler unit. You must replace the whole thing. This video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwpHbNS4suQ


shows how to remove that cooler and clean off the old thermal paste. In cleaning off old paste, do NOT scrape or scratch it! Sometimes a clean tissue or rag with a modest amount of rubbing alcohol on it can help to soften and remove old paste. NOT a LOT of alcohol - don't want it to drip down under the CPU. Make SURE the CPU surface is clean and all DRY before proceeding. It goes on to how to re-install the same cooler. IF you buy a different replacement model, follow the install instructions for that new unit.

A few hints.
1. For REMOVAL, sometimes the thermal paste is old and dried, and the cooler does not want to lift off the CPU. DO leave the CPU chip fastened in its socket for this. AFTER undoing the four hold-down "screws" you may want to try "rocking" the cooler and / or twisting it gently to try to break the seal so the cooler can be lifted.

2. If this does NOT work, another technique is to ensure everything is back as normal with the case open, and start your system up. Let it warm up fully and this may soften the paste. Now shut down and disconnect from power. Again, ensure the hold-down "screws" have been undone, then try again to move the cooler around and loosen it with the softer paste.

3. NEW thermal paste must be used as you install the new cooler. It may come with some, or you might need to buy your own. HOW MUCH to apply is important - too much is just as bad as too little. Follow instructions for YOUR CPU chip. An example is shown in that video. A good technique is to apply the "blob" in the middle, lower the cooler onto the top of the CPU chip already fixed in its socket, then twist it a bit in both directions with little pressure to spread the paste. Finally align it in final position and start screwing down the fasteners. Follow the instructions with the cooler. Many advise PARTIAL tightening of screws on opposite corners, then further tightening in stages to ensure even pressure all around.

4. Depending on what the new cooler is, you MAY not be able to make all its connections and mounting screws work unless you remove the entire mobo from the case so it can be properly supported on a clean dry surface for work.
 
faalin said:
Not sure where its taking you, but should go to amazon and its $19.90


You also need to watch out as the LGA 775 uses a 72mm hole spread vs the 75MM on the 1151. The z height, top of motherboard to top of cpu is 18.47mm on the 775 vs 10.23mm on the 1151 socket so you wont get adequate pressure form the cooler to cpu.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermalright-Assassin-Heatpipes-TL-C12C-LGA1700/dp/B09YY5LQV9/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zqq6nz_acWvS8--lWpKCj1DOYIIJ5IpUsMTWM6DNSYxQ97sOLpYQbaJ3jaTVmefeKZZpTks6TOwaMHDrZMlRriUV-dgVLstGHb5Xl7di4ELbx_hxS66-ASN34ghj6eYZIIBq4DOND-SN_J4soy1yxDF0ofkWs1MlC5yg-UQJ1WQNyirvl5SzPnvatCHToxMHR5quZttlgUdDiTQmpi7gYoYuXbemVzL-fzPxL_Qe0mc.c3tL7BWbo5Qztj-9LQ9WOEwEVkovNB3Q3IQwZR2QMTY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Thermalright+Assassin+King+120+SE&qid=1728496448&sr=8-4&th=1
Click to expand...
my bad. i saw it wrong 🌷
 
Paperdoc said:
You have not given us a more detailed description of your issue. Is it worn bearings that require replacement of the cooler unit, or is is a control issue of simply changing speeds and sound?

IF you decide the cooler needs replacement, I see now that there is no simple way to replace the FAN only on that cooler unit. You must replace the whole thing. This video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwpHbNS4suQ


shows how to remove that cooler and clean off the old thermal paste. In cleaning off old paste, do NOT scrape or scratch it! Sometimes a clean tissue or rag with a modest amount of rubbing alcohol on it can help to soften and remove old paste. NOT a LOT of alcohol - don't want it to drip down under the CPU. Make SURE the CPU surface is clean and all DRY before proceeding. It goes on to how to re-install the same cooler. IF you buy a different replacement model, follow the install instructions for that new unit.

A few hints.
1. For REMOVAL, sometimes the thermal paste is old and dried, and the cooler does not want to lift off the CPU. DO leave the CPU chip fastened in its socket for this. AFTER undoing the four hold-down "screws" you may want to try "rocking" the cooler and / or twisting it gently to try to break the seal so the cooler can be lifted.

2. If this does NOT work, another technique is to ensure everything is back as normal with the case open, and start your system up. Let it warm up fully and this may soften the paste. Now shut down and disconnect from power. Again, ensure the hold-down "screws" have been undone, then try again to move the cooler around and loosen it with the softer paste.

3. NEW thermal paste must be used as you install the new cooler. It may come with some, or you might need to buy your own. HOW MUCH to apply is important - too much is just as bad as too little. Follow instructions for YOUR CPU chip. An example is shown in that video. A good technique is to apply the "blob" in the middle, lower the cooler onto the top of the CPU chip already fixed in its socket, then twist it a bit in both directions with little pressure to spread the paste. Finally align it in final position and start screwing down the fasteners. Follow the instructions with the cooler. Many advise PARTIAL tightening of screws on opposite corners, then further tightening in stages to ensure even pressure all around.

4. Depending on what the new cooler is, you MAY not be able to make all its connections and mounting screws work unless you remove the entire mobo from the case so it can be properly supported on a clean dry surface for work.
Click to expand...
unfortunately i couldn't distinguish between different causes.
all i know, that this sound come directly from fan. there is no other fan in case. and case door is open... also i used curve on BIOS to make it as silent as possible. it change alot but not enough. also
sounds go crazy on 100% fan speed.
i believe this fan is dead and should be replaced....

all i know is that i have enough space. i could put deep cool gammax 200 v2 in thsi case before.


what if i wash the fan with water? and leave it for a week? is that dangerous? 🥲 i dont need this system alot
 
.valkyrie. said:
what if i wash the fan with water? and leave it for a week? is that dangerous?
Click to expand...
it's very possible that water will intrude into the fan structure and cause more damage.
the way the bearings work make it impossible to clean internally and/or re-lubricate.
much easier, and better overall, to just replace the entire cooler with something designed for this socket.
 
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OP, that sounds like the noise is there almost always, NOT just for a limited time at the beginning after a cold start. So I agree the entire CPU cooler unit needs to be replaced.

Do NOT try to wash it with water. You will always get water inside where it cannot dry our, and that will ruin the fan!

You should realize that, when you set BIOS options to slow the fan speed to make it quiet, that means it CANNOT deliver the air flow needed to keep your CPU chip cooled off. That may cause permanent heating damage to the CPU. Replacement is the solution so the new one can operate at ts proper speed and provide the cooling needed at a low noise level.
 
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JohnBonhamsGhost said:
it's very possible that water will intrude into the fan structure and cause more damage.
the way the bearings work make it impossible to clean internally and/or re-lubricate.
much easier, and better overall, to just replace the entire cooler with something designed for this socket.
Click to expand...
well then, replace i will....
you see, going to a market and buying, takes time and since the fan kinda works right now, make it less priority to my schedule... thats why i thought of this.
i will do that the first chance i get
 
Paperdoc said:
OP, that sounds like the noise is there almost always, NOT just for a limited time at the beginning after a cold start. So I agree the entire CPU cooler unit needs to be replaced.

Do NOT try to wash it with water. You will always get water inside where it cannot dry our, and that will ruin the fan!

You should realize that, when you set BIOS options to slow the fan speed to make it quiet, that means it CANNOT deliver the air flow needed to keep your CPU chip cooled off. That may cause permanent heating damage to the CPU. Replacement is the solution so the new one can operate at ts proper speed and provide the cooling needed at a low noise level.
Click to expand...
yes, its a permanent situation.
it wont stop after a while.

even at that fan curve on BIOS, temp's wont go over 64°c under 5 min of stress test. i believe that's fine for now. right?
default curve was 55-56ish
also then noise is gone like this. it won't bother me anymore


p s: cleaning with alcohol is not an option, since it vapors, right?
 
Last edited:
.valkyrie. said:
p s: cleaning with alcohol is not an option, since it vapors, right?
Click to expand...
Yes, IPA will evaporate, but this takes several minutes, giving enough time to finish the cleaning job. It's a well known cleaning agent.
https://www.ifixit.com/News/36877/ask-ifixit-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-isopropyl-alcohol

I have a 1 litre tin of IPA (Iso Propyl Alcohol) which I use for cleaning heatsinks. Just soak a small area of a cleaning rag or paper towel, then wipe the heatsink and CPU to remove the old TIM (Thermal Interface Material).

.valkyrie. said:
system under stress Test for 10 min.... maximum recorded temperature is 65C (swings btw 62~65)
Click to expand...
At 65°C max, you should be fine with an i3-6100.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/what-are-safe-temps-for-i3-6100.2853571/
 
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OP, you said, "cleaning with alcohol is not an option, since it vapors, right?" I'm not sure of your problem here. IF you mean that evaporated alcohol as vapors is hazardous or even just annoying to people, the hazard is really minimal and can be dealt with easily by simply allowing reasonable air flow to sweep away the vapors. This is NOT considered a toxic vapor. It is exactly the stuff normally used in treating minor injuries and for cleaning off skin where a needle injection is done.

IF you are concerned that the vapors might damage the electronic components, no, that is not an issue. Neither the liquid form nor the vapors will react with (chemically) any components to damage them, nor will they dissolve things and move them around. In fact, the rapid evaporation of the liquid residue left on board surfaces to vapor form (so the vapor can be swept away by air) is the huge advantage of using such a solvent to dissolve and wipe away contaminants like thermal paste residues.
 
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Paperdoc said:
OP, you said, "cleaning with alcohol is not an option, since it vapors, right?" I'm not sure of your problem here. IF you mean that evaporated alcohol as vapors is hazardous or even just annoying to people, the hazard is really minimal and can be dealt with easily by simply allowing reasonable air flow to sweep away the vapors. This is NOT considered a toxic vapor. It is exactly the stuff normally used in treating minor injuries and for cleaning off skin where a needle injection is done.

IF you are concerned that the vapors might damage the electronic components, no, that is not an issue. Neither the liquid form nor the vapors will react with (chemically) any components to damage them, nor will they dissolve things and move them around. In fact, the rapid evaporation of the liquid residue left on board surfaces to vapor form (so the vapor can be swept away by air) is the huge advantage of using such a solvent to dissolve and wipe away contaminants like thermal paste residues.
Click to expand...
hi,
i was half sleep when i wrote that, if you read it like this: option=problem then it make sense and 2nd paragraph is the answer to my question.
thanks bro.


by the way, buy lowering fan curve, and stress test on a game for two hours, i can say that problem is solved. it can run at 25% curve and temperature is around 67 (since the GPU is also running at 75°c near the cpu. and make my Case a little warmer)

i will change this fan i near future. maybe change that and Change this cpu for a i5 6600 at the same time.

an irrelevant question.
6th gen is much cheaper like 10-15% compared to 7th gen.
so does 2400mhz support that important to justify the price difference? should i pick 7400 or 6600?.

7400~36$
6600~31.5$

OR.
6700~62$
7700~74$


my ram is 3200 dual channel. so it can handle 2400 as well
 
.valkyrie. said:
an irrelevant question.
6th gen is much cheaper like 10-15% compared to 7th gen.
so does 2400mhz support that important to justify the price difference? should i pick 7400 or 6600?.
7400~36$ 6600~31.5$
OR.
6700~62$ 7700~74$
my ram is 3200 dual channel. so it can handle 2400 as well
Click to expand...
i5 is 4core/4thread cpu.
i7 is 4core/8thread cpu.
i7 is better.

Ram support depends on motherboard. Only Z series motherboard will allow ram overclocking.
Without ram oc, 6th gen cpus support ram speed up to 2133mhz,
7th gen cpus support ram speeds up to 2400mhz.
 
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