Maximum PC

I have a couple GTX560Ti's in the home and one just started to freak out on me. The one in question is an eVGA SC that has two fans. One fan will spin randomly and I can't see the other even trying to spin. To make matters worse, I can't figure out how to take the fans off. They're sleeved bearings and aren't free to spin by hand and just need some TLC...but, again, there's no obvious way to get to the bearing to put a drop of oil in.

So I Googled most of the night tonight, and this "Only one fan works" seems to be over 5 Google pages long and is a common problem. None are answered and simply suggest buying some $70 cooler for a replacement which I'm not quick to bite on. I bought it 2nd hand and am not sure eVGA will RMA or offer me just a set of fans to fix the issue. It just seems to be a fault with their fans as I've ran many cards out here with no issues and all these "only one fan works" are all over the place. I'm typing now from an XFX GTS250 that's seen worse environments and runs like a charm while the 560Ti is stripped and trying to figure that bitch out.

So, I guess I'm asking several questions. Have any of you 560Ti users witnessed this, how do you get these fans off the spindle, and worse case; what cooler should I buy on the cheap? I'm usually an H20 guy and don't deal with air too much but this is in the garage in a small Antec 360 case that can't handle even a minor loop (I've had an 80x2 rad in here before, but that's excessive for this problem). Accelero Twin Turbo II is still $60 and a bit overkill when I just want the fans to spin. Can you just buy new fans that plop in the cooler shroud? The mounts look like a typical "Y" and see them on newegg, so is this a standard mount I can just toss in?

If you want to help fix these fans, I can post pictures...but they won't help much. The front of the Fan has the eVGA "E" sticker and when you peel it back it's just plastic. The back of the fan is the common sticker and when you pull that back you just see a couple IC's and no access to the spindle or bearing to either take it apart for cleaning or a drop of oil.

I should mention this, the fan that's more toward the rear will spin but the other one doesn't even try. The fan that wants to spin pulses 6 times, stops, waits 10 seconds, repeat the 6 pulses (I'm pretty much running passive and drops out even watching 1min youtube 360px videos). I hate to pay $60 to slap a cooler on this card when I see all these issues with 560Ti's and one of the fans not working. And yes, I've tried every driver I could find the past couple days with no help. But it sure seems odd that only one fan is even trying doesn't it?

From your description, it doesn't sound like they are "servicable" fans I'd start by checking with eVGA, I mean, the absolute worst they can say is "your on your own bub..."

Part of me tells me why you didn't just send the unit back under warranty.

And then I remembered EVGA isn't lifetime on all parts. But that one sounds like it would be covered under lifetime warranty. Unless you failed to register it.

The fans are covered and I'm within warranty, but they told me that I need to send it in. If I do that, they'll probably deny it because I took the sink off trying to figure this thing out and put some IC Diamond on. I closed the ticket but I guess I can try again just to test eVGA's actual support. They have been awesome thus far, but I'm just feeling I'm going to send it in on my dime then have them just send it back.

Thing is, I took the shroud off, stuck a 120mm Noiseblocker on there I had laying around...won't show video. Also ordered some fans for $10 a pop and the Y mounting is just eVGA SC only and have $20 worth of fans I can't use (I should have looked closer at the picture, saw that the "Y" was not enough, and will use them elsewhere somehow...I don't return stuff I screwed up on). However, I should be able to boot up even passive just to see something work for a moment. Nope. I really think I killed this thing. I'll keep up the good fight, but I don't have high hopes. Not one of my XFX nVidia cards are flaky like this and is just yet another nail in the coffin for my thoughts on eVGA in an extremist's hands. And before you beat me up, remember Tommy Boy. Sure you can return the card but you shouldn't have to. Parts should just work for years and the warranty or return policy is just a soft fluffy pillow for crappy stuff. Just backing my dislike of eVGA and Seagate products a little more.

It's valid to send it in and is a valid thought process that it's just setting on a shop desk now and can do it, but I'm looking right at that upgrade program and thinking I might try that. Dear eVGA, what will I have to pay to give you this piece of crap for a 660Ti? /me holds envelope to head "well, for $100 you can have a 650Ti and then deny it and still charge you". I'm going to try this, but will accept nothing but a 660Ti as an upgrade. I just have this vibe that something is going to go wrong and I end up paying for a 660Ti, shipping both ways, and just end up with wallet rape instead of just tossing it in the garbage. I'm already $20 in.

I heard eVGA doesn't care that you've toyed with the video card, as long as you didn't break anything. Like, even if you put an aftermarket heat sink on the card and it breaks on its own, you can still send it back provided you send it with the original heat sink.

I guess I didn't mention it, but while it was apart on day one the PCI plate got bent up (I bent it with my barstool leg when I scooted back to pick it up). I straightened it back out, but you can see the bench vise teeth prints and am just afraid they'll say I fucked it up. I'm still giving it a shot here soon, but have some other shipping items to get straightened out first.