AW13 R1: can I replace fan only, no heatsink pipes?

GPU fan (left looking from the top) in my AW13 R1 developed rattling sound when discrete graphics is activated. The rattle eventually settles down, and later the fan rotates fine. This is likely to indicate that the fan will fail soon. I am planning to disassemble the AW13, clean the fans, if no good, replace both (sold in L/R pairs), and repaste the heatsink (probably with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut). I have done similar tasks many times in different hardware.

HOWEVER: all instructions, videos, Dell manual, etc., show only how to replace full cooling assembly, not the individual fans. I am guessing that once I have the cooling assembly out replacing the fans only is going to be trivial. My question is: did someone replace one (or both) fans only, leaving the same cooling metal piping and fins assembly? I can not think why it would be necessary to replace the cooling pipes as well...unless the fans are somehow spot welded or glued to the cooling pipes and/or fins and are impossible to separate without permanently damaging the assembly???

Judging from various photos I am assuming that the design of cooling assembly is similar for many other Alienware models well: AW13 R1, R2 (not R3 of course), previous AW 15 models, etc.

Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks.

 

The fans are screwed onto the heatsinks (or at least the fan + their covering). While the procedure is not listed in the manuals, it's straightforward.
I know I cleaned the fans before, but I'm having a hard time remembering how the fans are connected to their covering (outside of a bit of tape for the wires).

 

Thanks, Game7a1! This is what I thought, nothing unusual here, will just replace the fans and repaste when I have some time.

 

Yeah you can replace them. but there is asome black fabric tape wrapped around the fan shroud and fan frame. becareful with removing that because on the sides there is also some foam that protects the fan shroud from rattling against the laptop case itself. Also the fan shrouds are made from plastic so becareful when you screw in those screws. make sure you use the right size.

 

Great, thank for your advice, rinneh!

 

Can you even buy fans only though?

 

Yeah, on aliexpress jsut fill in the part number. Most of the fans used are pretty generic models used in multiple machines.

No problem!