GPU Fan Rubbing and Grinding

colpee

Member
I've an RTX 2060 Optimus Laptop that's now about 2 year old. The gpu fan is rubbing and grinding. I've had the case open to try and clean the innards but even after blowing air through the fan there seems an imbalance. It isn't too bad at higher speeds when it gets there but squeals and stutters on the way and continually graunches at idle or low speeds. Can anyone help as to if there is a software issue, or a physical fix (can someone send a manual for an optimus 8 17.3 inch) so I can fix the issue myself (warrenty is up)
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
I've an RTX 2060 Optimus Laptop that's now about 2 year old. The gpu fan is rubbing and grinding. I've had the case open to try and clean the innards but even after blowing air through the fan there seems an imbalance. It isn't too bad at higher speeds when it gets there but squeals and stutters on the way and continually graunches at idle or low speeds. Can anyone help as to if there is a software issue, or a physical fix (can someone send a manual for an optimus 8 17.3 inch) so I can fix the issue myself (warrenty is up)
Just give PCS a call, they should be able to supply you with a warranty and perhaps even a replacement fan or if not a link to where you can get one.
 

colpee

Member
Really? So both fans are part of the chassis? That said then is it possible to unscrew the pcb to gain better access as both fans are connected via heat tubes (sealed). I'd like to do as much work myself given warrenty is effectively expired.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
Really? So both fans are part of the chassis? That said then is it possible to unscrew the pcb to gain better access as both fans are connected via heat tubes (sealed). I'd like to do as much work myself given warrenty is effectively expired.
Yeah, it’s all detachable. You should be removing the fans each time you clean the chassis.
 

colpee

Member
OK! I've work to do :) I dropped an email to the tech team so will follow up on parts. In the mean time will I need to unscrew the motherboard to get to the underside of the fans or is it possible to take the two fans off with the copper tubes in tact without bothering the boards?
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
OK! I've work to do :) I dropped an email to the tech team so will follow up on parts. In the mean time will I need to unscrew the motherboard to get to the underside of the fans or is it possible to take the two fans off with the copper tubes in tact without bothering the boards?
You won’t need to touch the motherboard at all.
 

colpee

Member
I had another look. One fan I can get to fine, but it was working ok. The one causing issue has the copper plate screwed to the top, but it's sealed to the copper piping which seems pasted to the rest of the rig, making getting at the noisy fan a problem.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
I had another look. One fan I can get to fine, but it was working ok. The one causing issue has the copper plate screwed to the top, but it's sealed to the copper piping which seems pasted to the rest of the rig, making getting at the noisy fan a problem.
Can you upload a photo?
 

colpee

Member
Not handily, no. Best I can describe (with base removed and Laptop upside down) are two fans near rear of machine, left one (faulty) has a copper hood screwed to top of fan with heat sink tubing formed as part of the hood leading across the motherboard to the other side of the laptop, surrounding the second fan (working). The second fan has a seperate hood that isn't formed as part of the heat sink so can be removed seperately. The problem fan alas has all the tubing effectively hanging off it. I tried removing the screws to see if there was room to slide the fan away from the sink, and while the fan and the sink seem to be seperable, there's no room to move it away. There are a few screws holding the sink and tubes but even removing those everything seems 'stuck'.
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
Not handily, no. Best I can describe (with base removed and Laptop upside down) are two fans near rear of machine, left one (faulty) has a copper hood screwed to top of fan with heat sink tubing formed as part of the hood leading across the motherboard to the other side of the laptop, surrounding the second fan (working). The second fan has a seperate hood that isn't formed as part of the heat sink so can be removed seperately. The problem fan alas has all the tubing effectively hanging off it. I tried removing the screws to see if there was room to slide the fan away from the sink, and while the fan and the sink seem to be seperable, there's no room to move it away. There are a few screws holding the sink and tubes but even removing those everything seems 'stuck'.
Really need to see a photo to see what's going on.

It sounds like you're removing the heatsink rather than the fan.
 

colpee

Member
Really need to see a photo to see what's going on.

It sounds like you're removing the heatsink rather than the fan.


Sorry for the late reply. All hell breaking loose. Anyway got the loan of a camera

Here's the set up


It's the fan on the left as the picture goes.
 

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FerrariVie

Super Star
Sorry for the late reply. All hell breaking loose. Anyway got the loan of a camera

Here's the set up

It's the fan on the left as the picture goes.
Looking at the pictures, it does indeed seem that the heatpipes would need to come out as well, but the motherboard should stay in place... Just heatpipes and fans would come out.
 

colpee

Member
Time to break out the thermals then. I wonder if my nephew has any otherwise it's a trip up the amazon. Any suggestion on a good approach to avoid cannaballism (of the laptop)?
 

FerrariVie

Super Star
Time to break out the thermals then. I wonder if my nephew has any otherwise it's a trip up the amazon. Any suggestion on a good approach to avoid cannaballism (of the laptop)?
If you're going to use normal paste (not liquid metal), it's as safe as it could be. You need to use Isopropyl Alcohol to clean the dried out old paste and use a fair amount of new paste, drawing an X over the CPU and GPU:
1601465564460.png

Regarding the brand (if you need to buy one), I would go for the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut (best one around) or Noctua NT-H1 (usually cheaper)
 

colpee

Member
Next problem's the fan. I'll deal with it when I get to it. Saying that are the two fans generally of the same stock?
 

colpee

Member
No probs. I'm awaiting a reply at the minute anyways so I'll wait for that. Thank you greatly everyone and we'll see how things go :)
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
No probs. I'm awaiting a reply at the minute anyways so I'll wait for that. Thank you greatly everyone and we'll see how things go :)
If you don't have any luck with PCS, there's a site called Eurocom where you can order most authentic clevo replacement parts:

 
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