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The fan in my IBM T40 has died. I have taken the laptop apart and I see that it no longer spins. It kinda whirs for a bit and then stops.

I've found some replacement fans on E-Bay for $10. What should I look for to make sure my T40 will be compatible with what I purchase on E Bay?

Note: The T40 is at least 7 years old, so no more warranty.

Thanks
-G

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4 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Here's a link to the T40 Hardware Manual. Inside you will find the FRU number for the fan assembly of your model.

However, buying a fan just by model number will work too. The #1 thing to look (and even ask the vendor) for, is if the fan is 'brand new' or refurbished. With refurbished ones, you have a higher chance of getting an Original IBM fan, but they have some wear an tear and will probably be noisy. A brand new one will very likely be an OEM one.

(I have recently bought one for a T30 model. It was an OEM one and even more effective than the original IBM fan)

EDIT: Here is an even better link: FRU Numbers for T40-series (see pt. 18)

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awesome. time to 'breath' some life into this 7yr old laptop – George Feb 19 '10 at 15:53
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The best thing you can do is simply ask the seller.

Also, you may want to check spare part companies for your laptop model and find the exact model number - you can then search via that part number either on eBay or from other spare parts companies and guarantee a compatible match.

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Can't ask the seller - Old laptop – George Dec 13 '10 at 15:44
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Check the Lenovo (IBM) part number to make sure the fan is correct. The FRU number will help you find the exact part.

Lenovo T Series parts

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up vote 0 down vote

I have no answer, but another question about the fan.

I've got an old T41 with a working but noisy fan.

Assuming I can find a replacement fan, how difficult is the repair job of actually replacing the fan?

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depends how good you are with a screw driver. it took about 15min of work to get all the screws out – George Feb 17 '10 at 20:49
My GF can do it too (she did it twice on a T30) so it's not too hard. See my answer above, the Hardware Manual will explain it step by step including all possible gotchas. – Nicholaz Feb 18 '10 at 18:26
replaced it in about an hour. It's a little tricky to keep all the screws in place – George Dec 13 '10 at 15:45

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