The first thing you’re going to need to do is to gather up your tools, to take apart your Xbox 360 console.
Notice: To properly install a new cooling fan which is considered a modification will void your warranty, as long as you’re aware of this and you decide to continue, we are in no way responsible.
Now let’s get to the hard part, taking apart your Xbox 360, in order to install a new cooling fan you’re going to have to take your Xbox 360 apart, there’s just no way around it.
You’ll need:
1. T10 screw driver
2. T8 screwdriver
3. Flat head screwdriver or knife
4. Masking tape or cup for your screws
5. New cooling Whisper fan which you can find at the console shop
If you’re not quite sure how to dismantle your Xbox 360, watch this video or a video of your preference found on YouTube or anywhere else you like.
Once you have your Xbox apart just removing the upper half of the shell where you can locate the fan unit.
Remove the plastic casing holding the fan unit in place
Unplug the fan
Pry the Chassis away from the fan in order to properly remove it
Pull the fan out and install the new whisper fan
After that you’re all done, that’s all there is to it, now all you need to do is put your Xbox 360 back together again!
Here is the link again to get the whisper fan from console shop
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I'll try and make this as painless as possible, if I miss anything, please leave a comment and I'll add it on.
Parts, Tools & Screws Needed for Xbox 360 X Clamp Fix
1. Roll of Paper Towels
2. Box of Q-tips
3. Package of Tooth Picks
4. Cotton Swabs
5. Thermal Compound Paste
6. Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol
7. Flat Head Screwdriver
8. Regular Screwdriver
9 . 13/64 Drill Bit (some people prefer to screw the heat sink to the chassis, but not needed)
10. Cordless Drill or Regular Drill
11. T10 Screwdriver
12. T8 Screwdriver
13. Scotch Tap / Masking Tape
Update 9/25
Here are the official home depot part numbers and screws!
Qty - 8 Machine Screw Pan - Phillips 5 x 10mm (DR# - 313) UPC - 030699 801282
Qty - 16 Flat Washer Nylon #10 (DR# - 610) UPC - 030699 869381
Qty - 16 Flat Washer Steel / ZINC Plated 5mm (DR# - 606) UPC - 030699 363087
Alright, the Scotch tap is there to help you when your putting the screws back though the heatsink, so you can get the nuts on the backside of them, without doing it one at a time.
You can get the thermal paste at any computer store and you obviously know where to get the rest of the stuff.
As far as the drilling goes, your don't necessarily need to drill wholes, but some people prefer it, to tighten the heatsink up that much more by connecting it to the actual shell of the console.
So that's it, like I said, if I'm missing anything, let me know, if you have any question please leave a comment.
Also, keep in mind, that it's strongly recommended you don't try the Xclamp fix by yourself, you should really get the Xbox 360 Red Light Fix guide to walk you through everything, plus they have an awesome troubleshooting section that lets you pin point the exact problem and what you need to do to fix it, sometimes you don't even need to take your console apart and I should also let you know that, the X clamp fix is only one alternative out of many options.
Here's the Link, Xbox 360 Red Light Fix
Be Careful
Ahhh...The most popular repair method preferred by many Xbox 360 owners worldwide, the X-clamp fix.
So, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this article and show you exactly what you’re going to need and do to get the job done.
X Clamp Step 1:
You’re going to want to completely take your console apart, now this may seem a bit complicated or intimidating at first, but it’s not as half as difficult as you might think.
There’s allot to explain with taking apart your Xbox 360, so I’ll just go over the basic how to’s of what you have to do. But, first things first, be extremely careful when taking your console apart, make sure to separate each part and you can either label or number your parts in sequence, so when you’re putting things back together, it won’t seem like to much to remember and also find a few household tools, you’ll need a pair of basic pliers, both Philips screwdriver and flat head screw driver and a set of spring washers mini screw kit,(cost about $2.00 bucks at any hardware store), that’s about it, you can browse around different videos on YouTube or other video sharing sites and find all kinds of hooligans taking apart their consoles to give you a good idea of how to do it.
X Clamp Step 2: Taking the original x clamp and heat sink of the main circuit board.
When you finally get to the point where you can lift the main circuit board away from the console’s shell, what you’re going to want to do is gently flip it over, grabbing your regular flat head screwdriver, easily prying each end of the x clamp off until all 4 ends are loose. Then flip the circuit board over and pull the heat sink off, next, untwist the screws in the heat sink.
X Clamp Step 3:
Take the washers and place them on your screws then put them in the heat sink holes with the tip on the bottom of the circuit board so you can screw them in, you can either place some sort of masking tape to temporarily hold them in place while you flip the board back over to put the heat sink back into position, then gently screwing each screw 2 turns a piece, do not tighten each screw individually, rotate each screw until all 4 are securely fashioned.
X Clamp Step 4: There is no step 4, that’s all there is to it.
Now, obviously, this article isn’t the best when it comes to giving you graphical images to picture while doing it, it’s probably lacking a few details here and there as well.
That’s why it’s recommended you learn the steps from a pro, with an entire series of videos, pictures and plans to make everything as easy as possible for you, from taking a simple screw out to finally hitting the power button, so the best advice you can take is to scrape up $30 bucks and get the guide that’s helping people everywhere play their Xbox 360’s again, without worrying about hardware failures or other common Xbox problems happening, because not only will it show you how to properly use the X clamp technique, but will also show you every single repair method you can think of, when it comes to fixing a broken Xbox 360.
