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Hi, I have few old 2010/2011 iMac’s (21.5" & 27") with noisy internal fans. I was just wondering what is the best recommended oil to use to lubricate the fans after they have been cleaned from dust. I have seen some people using Lithium Grease or sewing machine oil to lubricate the internals of the fan to reduce the noise. Would you say that this help’s lubricate noisy fans and if so which one would you recommend? Also, how much would you recommend to apply? Thanks.
I would recommend replacing the fans. If the fans are noisy then that most likely means there’s already damage to the bearings and/or the fan cage. Oiling it may stop the noise for a short period but doesn’t solve the problem. Furthermore, the oil will act like a sponge for passing dust particles and just make things worse, not to mention the possibility of flinging particles of oil into your computer.
Surprisingly you don’t want to lube the fan bearings as they are designed not to need it and many are sealed so you can’t get to where you would need to go to lube the bearing. Most likely the bearings are worn due to fan control software running the fans to hard or dust build up unbalancing the fan.
