Hate to necro this old post but considering I have the exact same macbook and also had overheating issues on top of my fan not responding to the software and returning MOT I thought I'd share.
I have tested that little fan in your mac in a lot of ways. Generally speaking if your fan is running at 4200RPM and it is loud than you should take it out, spray some WD-40 or Silicone Lube into the spindle (metal shaft that spins the fan.) I had to have it leak down into it for mine to work because this fan doesn't detatch from its circut board on the casing like the others do. But easy fix for this was to use the tiny red hose on the WD-40 can to aim it under the fan so it hit the spindle THAN used an air compressor to spin the fan at a very high rate to completely purge the spindle of any thing that could possibley be restricting it while also helping the lubricant set.
The reason why all of this ^ is because your optimal setting can be a constant. It doesnt need to be a sensor variable unless you're using a battery because trust me. Take a close look at that little fan and with the proper cleaning u cant hear a thing and it can spin well over the max RPM listed. My fan used to make a terrible noise than it completely messed up and wouldnt ever go over 1000rpm even at high TEMPS. After taking just the fan out and completely restoring it my comp never heats up anymore and is actually much fater performance wise as well.
My constant value is the max while playing World of Warcraft which causes a good deal of strain on an Intel Hd 3000 graphics unit and while doing anything else I'll leave it around 4400-4800 cause like I said I have never seen my computer run this fast until its kept overly cool and seeing as u wont hurt your fan to run it like this I'd say 4500RPM. Unless its unbearably loud for you.
Zeta wrote:Generally speaking if your fan is running at 4200RPM and it is loud than you should take it out, spray some WD-40 or Silicone Lube into the spindle (metal shaft that spins the fan.)
Don't do this. Apple use MagLev fans, there is no friction as there is no central shaft or bearings.
I would point settings to look at the left fins on the heat sink. iStat Menus has 25 different temperate readouts on the retina MBP machines, Mac Fan Control only lists 11, and the heatsink temperature is one that is missing.
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