Power Mac 6500 CPU fan

[IPNixon]

I just acquired a 6500/300 from my school, and it looks like it works okay, except for the fact that its CPU fan makes a loud grinding noise when it's on.

I was just curious as to whether or not it's safe to leave this running without the fan plugged in. The fan's mounted on a heatsink anyway, but I don't want to ruin this or anything.

Any opinions would be appreciated

 

[Byrd]

It does need the fan - and they tend to crap out because they collect a lot of the dust that should be extracted by the larger 80mm fan above it. It will overheat for sure if you have any PCI cards installed. Clean it up, try some WD40, and if still flaky, replace with another 40mm fan (from a 486 or something).

JB

 

[Mike Richardson]

Oil the fan a bit and it will clear right up. Common problem on these.

 

[Franklinstein]

If you're not planning on installing any PCI cards, you could swap out the heatsink/fan combo for a heatsink (sans Peltier junction) from a PPC 601-based Mac like a 6100, or a 7200.

It'll be much taller than the 6500's original heatsink, which is why you couldn't use PCI cards. However, it should snap right into place without bothering anything on the 6500's logic board and keep everything cool without a fan. I've replaced the flimsy tiny stamped aluminium heatsinks on 603-based machines (4400 and 52/6200) with the larger ones from 601s in several machines with no issues, other than blocking some expansion options in more compact machines.

 

[IPNixon]

If you're not planning on installing any PCI cards, you could swap out the heatsink/fan combo for a heatsink (sans Peltier junction) from a PPC 601-based Mac like a 6100, or a 7200.

Well, the machine already has USB and ethernet PCI cards in it, so I dunno if I want to replace it with a heatsink. The comm-slot has a modem in it, and I don't have any CS ethernet cards, so at least the ethernet PCI card is staying in.

Oil the fan a bit and it will clear right up. Common problem on these.

I didn't think of that; I'll try it after I stop at the store and get a new bottle of oil. (after school, that is)

 

[IPNixon]

Oil worked. Thanks Mike

 

[juan123]

haha mine is funny... it works...then starts "moaning" for a few minutes and then its fine. haha kinda funny tho...

 

[Bunsen]

Yeah I do that at about 9:00am most Mondays