Solved Advice on cleaning a Gateway cooler fan.

[Anak]

I was cleaning our machine the other day and I wanted to make sure how the, I'm not sure what to call it, a horn? is removed from the cooler fan inside the case before I go and break it.

I can see what looks like plastic clips on the fan body that snap into holes on the horn.
I'm thinking those clips have to be pushed back with a plastic? screwdriver as the horn is maneuvered around the clip(s). There are two more opposite the ones I show in the pix, highlighted by yellow circles and arrows.

Maybe it would be easier to remove the whole cooling unit and put in some bench time? Highlighted in red are metal spring loaded screws, there are 4 total around the base of the fan that look to be the mounting screws.

I really don't want to use compressed air, bottled or machine. :shock:

Anyone have suggestions? Know of a link to a "good" service manual?


See Pix:



EDIT:
To see solution: Go to post #27

 

[bobafetthotmail]

the ones in red seem to be the ones holding the dissipator bolted to the mobo. If you loose them you will have to reapply thermal paste (not a bad thing to do per-se). But then you will be able to move it ouside the house and then give it a good, through clean with whatever.

The ones in yellow seem to be the screws that keep the fan bolted to the dissipator.

The horn seems to be held in place by the stuff I highlighted in blue in the attached image.

There seems to be a screw in the corner, but the one in the clear does not have any.
Might just need some pulling like a tupperware's cover to come off. Be careful though and pull from the blue-highlighted parts (and the ones on the other side).

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Anak,
Actually you can leave the horn in place while you use compressed air to clean the entire computer. Please hold all fans with a pencil with an eraser tip and if possible please clean all fans in the computer including the PSU fan. I like to take my rig outdoors to perform deep cleaning as the amount of dust trapped can be alarming. I also will use a clean dry paint brush to loosen the dirt and dust to ease the process. I like to start from the intake fans and work my way to the exhaust then after cleaning all the CPU, GPU NB & SB cooling fins, hard drives, fans then I blast the inside of the case for a final clean then I take a very damp clean micro fiber towel and wipe down the outside of the rig and allow the rig to rest and dry for 5-10 minutes then install back into the system. To use only a physical cleaner like a brush with out air would be impossible to remove the dust from the case, use a mask if you are sensitive to dust and blast with air, you can also enlist the vacuum into service as well but if you're outdoors then just blast away.

 

[Razor505]

I agree with Linnemeyerhere, you can use a can of compressed air, and a q-tip for the hard to reach places under the fan.
Here's a video on how to do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K02P5I8BsE

 

[Anak]

All good suggestion guys, but I have to lean towards linnemeyerhere and Razor505 until I can be absolutely sure if that horn is removable. Looks like I have to get a couple of cans of air.

I've worked on too many appliances that were engineered to only be assembled, if you tried to take them apart you broke them.
Try changing a circuit board in a canister vacuum, I didn't break it but that top cover is a bugger to reach the inside clips even with a 22" long screwdriver.

I'll let you know how I make out, right now I have some chores then its off to our niece's sixth birthday party.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Here's and idea open the case panels up and strap it to the roof of the car and then go like heck to the birthday party and back then put the covers back on and install back into the system.

 

[Stephanie]

Here's and idea open the case panels up and strap it to the roof of the car and then go like heck to the birthday party and back then put the covers back on and install back into the system.

:roflmao:

Hi Anak

If you don't want to use Air I would think taking the complete assembly (fan, heatsink and horn) off to clean it may be less hard, and not forgetting new thermal paste.

 

[Layback Bear]

No doubt some serious cleaning needs to be done.
I would do as Stephanie stated. I would remove the complete unit (heat sink, fan, horn) as a unit. At that time you might be able to see how the horn is attached. It would also be a good time to install new thermal compound. The way that radiator looks it has probably been running hot for sometime.

 

[AddRAM]

Here we go again

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Is it wrong that I'm getting a little excited?

 

[Anak]

Here's and idea open the case panels up and strap it to the roof of the car and then go like heck to the birthday party and back then put the covers back on and install back into the system.

I took your suggestion and tried that, and I even went through a thunder shower, though I had to drive a couple'o miles extra to dry it off.

Is it wrong that I'm getting a little excited?

Nah, That's normal, it's just the anticipation of running an experiment!

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Here's and idea open the case panels up and strap it to the roof of the car and then go like heck to the birthday party and back then put the covers back on and install back into the system.

I took your suggestion and tried that, and I even went through a thunder shower, though I had to drive a couple'o miles extra to dry it off.
View attachment 274588View attachment 274589

Is it wrong that I'm getting a little excited?

Nah, That's normal, it's just the anticipation of running an experiment!
View attachment 274591

Perfect I'm not sure I could have cleaned my rig as well, don't let the little moisture worry you I understand all mobo manufacturers use a waterproof coating so I'm sure everything will be fine. In fact this gives a new meaning to water cooled and cleaned ! Just as a precaution I would hit the start button with a 6-10 foot pole and have a extinguisher ready.....

 

[AddRAM]

Oh No you didn`t

That case looks ancient, get a new one and have at it.

Sorry, I couldn`t resist.

 

[Layback Bear]

Anak once you check your computer out and it still isn't clean enough you could try a drive thru car wash.
Make sure you have the windows up on the truck.

 

[Anak]

Oh, I'm not as worried as the drivers I was passing to dry it off, then the cop stopped me and I had some splaining to do about what the H*LL I thought I was up to. You see, I had to hold onto the case with my left hand out the window while I was driving.

I would of made a "clean" get-a-way, but there was some crud that fell off the blanket and onto her blouse, I offered to shine her badge but she said no thanks and left me go with a warning, glad she didn't notice I wasn't wearing my seatbelt.

 

[Anak]

Anak once you check your computer out and it still isn't clean enough you could try a drive thru car wash.
Make sure you have the windows up on the truck.

You musta' been readin' my mind Bear!

 

[AddRAM]

You should`ve told her you just wanted some high speed internet

 

[Layback Bear]

Just looking for a Hot Spot.

 

[Anak]

Oh No you didn`t

That case looks ancient, get a new one and have at it.

Sorry, I couldn`t resist.

No problem! and no, I didn't.

I saw this

Here's and idea open the case panels up and strap it to the roof of the car and then go like heck to the birthday party and back then put the covers back on and install back into the system.

and with the other tongue-in-cheek posts I couldn't resist either.

You are also right about the case being "ancient" It's our very first computer:

• AT&T 8457 - 3372
• 486DX2/66 MHz Desktop Computer
• 8 MB Ram
• 420 MB Hard Drive - windows for workgroups 3.11 / 35floppies.
• 3" Floppy
• 2x CD player
• Fax/modem
• 2 ea Serial Ports
• Dot-matrix tractor fed printer, those were $55. cartridges, and (with apologies to Henry Ford) you could use any color as long as it was black.
• Used Juno dial-up to get on the internet
• $1,800 USD in 1998, adjusted for inflation it would be about $2,516.87 now :shock:
• And once I check to see if anything is salvageable, and get the magnets out of the HDD, if it has any, its toast and going to the bone-yard after a :grouphug: and (d).

So I took a few minutes and manually photoshopped ("staged") the shot. my posts about it were all ad-lib.

It was fun while it lasted. :roflmao: I know, I know, I'm :busted:

 

[AddRAM]

We all knew you didn`t, but darn you ruined the story. Now go back and delete that post. LOL

With the weather we`ve had you could just set it outside.