Found a weird trick for old power supplies that actually works

I was fixing a 2008 Dell Optiplex for a client last week, and the fan was making that awful grinding noise. I read on an old forum that you can sometimes fix it by putting a single drop of light oil, like sewing machine oil, right on the fan bearing through the sticker. Tried it, let it sit for an hour, and the noise is totally gone. It's a cheap fix that saved me from having to replace the whole unit. Has anyone else tried this on other old desktop models?

2 comments

2 Comments

sullivan.elliot1mo ago

Wait you used 3-in-1 oil and it actually worked?

wren3071mo ago

Totally works on old HP office machines too... had a whole batch of them with noisy fans. A drop of 3-in-1 oil on the center spindle under the sticker quieted them right down. It's amazing how long they'll run after that. Saved so many power supplies from the recycling bin.