Attn: ALL APPLE PORTABLE OWNERS -Macbook Pro, MacBook Air Apple portable slowdown / kernel high CPU solution

Question

Attn: ALL APPLE PORTABLE OWNERS -MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini slowdown kernel / high CPU use problem and solution.
YOU COULD FRY YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU DO NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM SO PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE MESSAGE!
YOUR MAC WILL THANK YOU  
Hey all.
Like many of you I've got a newer Apple portable which slows down to an unusable level for an unknown reason. In my case a 13" mid 2009 Intel MacBook Pro Core 2 duo laptop. After many failed attempts to figure out what this nutty problem is I have discovered the problem, the solution and I have solved this for my own MacBook Pro. Since this fix it has been working immediately and consistently -without issue 
I am sharing this with you in hopes that you to can fix your Apple portable yourself or so you know what to tell the Apple techs so they can quickly fix your Mac from this wacky and unfortunate kernel CPU hogging problem.
User Software Symptoms :
Your Apple portable computer periodically for an unknown reason slows down making everything frustratingly slow. This happens even when running previous apps that were never a problem; things that your Mac should be able to handle easily but for some reason now it can't.
Slowdown most often happens during high CPU use such as gaming, video playback/editing, etc. or when running multiple apps (even non CPU intensive apps) at the same time.
Possible Hardware Symptoms:
Your computer is making more noise than it did previously.
Your computer occasionally makes more noise but then gets quieter.
Your computer is always extremely quiet (too quiet) even during high CPU apps -worst case scenario.
It feels hotter than it normally does. Test: After several minutes of the slowness/high kernel CPU touch the computer to feel if it's hotter than normal.
Looking at Activity Monitor (in the Utilities folder) shows the kernel_task is going bonkers eating up CPU but you have no idea why.
After trying many different things to solve this problem such as :
PR ram reset, SMC reset, fresh OS install of 10.5 and 10.6 on external hard-drives, calling and speaking to various Apple tech people who had no ideas/solutions, etc. I had no luck.
Btw, if you're having the symptoms I've decscribed above I would not run the Apple Hardware check (read below as to why). You could fry your Mac!
After much testing I found the problem :
It is my belief that "recent" Apple portable computers are using low quality internal fans which soon stop working!
Fail time period seems to be about 1.0 years to 2.5 years of use but this fail rate could vary depending on use.
First noticeable symptoms (depending on what you notice) could be computer slowdown or your fan is making more noise than it normally does. This is your fan's lubrication slowly eroding making your fan spin slower and less smooth resulting in the louder noise and slower rpm spin speed. The slower fan spin speed means less cooling is happening for your computer. The effect on your computer is that the CPU and other chips are heating up! Overheating to be more specific. When your computer's chips overheat they get wonky and screw things up. Most often this seems to have the effect of making the kernel hog CPU resulting in a frustratingly slow user experience! Heat kills computer chips and it is extremely bad for them. Extreme overheat or repeated overheating has been said to shorten the life of computer chips or in extreme cases even fry them completely!
The longer this goes on without being fixed your fan loses more lubrication and spins slower and slower cooling lesser and lesser resulting in your CPU heating up more and more possibly shortening the life of your Mac! Eventually your fan will stop completely and you could fry your chips! My fan stopped completely and my MBP was running very quietly, too quietly. Luckily I did not fry my chips because I was avoiding using high CPU apps because I knew something was wrong due to the massive slow down and wonkiness when I'd run them.
Side Note:I'm a bit concerned about all those Mac mini servers which may be using the same defective low quality fans which cannot be easily serviced by their owners as they are co-located in some server facility. One positive thing is those facilities are usually well airconditioned keeping temps low.
I suggest you do not run the Apple hardware test if you suspect your computer is overheating because the hardware test can seriously heat up your Mac! I tried running this test and my Mac got so hot I had to shut it down forcefully and I was concerned I damaged the chips. If you want to run the Apple hardware check make sure your CPU temperature is ok and that your fan works well before you run the test.
IF YOU DON'T FIX THIS PROBLEM YOU COULD FRY YOUR COMPUTER DUE TO HEAT DAMAGE!
DO NOT IGNORE THIS PROBLEM YOUR MACS LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT!
First you need to properly diagnose this problem and see if your CPU is getting to hot and you need to see if your fans are spinning at high rpms giving proper cooling, or if they are spinning at low rpms when running high intensive apps as your CPU temp increases.
TEST IF YOUR FAN(s) IS WORKING CORRECTLY :
Unfortunately Apple does not include CPU temperature reading software nor fan rpm speed software that I am aware of.
However, There are two free ways that I know of to check your CPU tempurature and your fan speed :
One app shows fan speed, and CPU heat, etc.
One app shows fan speed, CPU heat and allows you to adjust your fan speed settings.
One app is a dashboard widget, the other is a system preference.
I suggest you download both of these to check your computer statistics.
http://www.eidac.de/?p=134
http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatpro/
http://fan-control.en.softonic.com/mac
I am not exactly sure what proper CPU temperatures are for the different Apple computers and this will change given different CPU loads.
My MBP doesn't seem to function properly with anything around 90 degrees or higher (celcius).
It seems when the fan is operating normally the CPU temp should not stay above 78 degrees even under heavy load, at least with the apps I'm running in the room temperature I'm in.
I can post back later with more specific temps under longer load, etc. but I wanted to get this post up for people to read as soon as possible so they don't fry their Macs.
If a bad fan is your problem :
THERE ARE ONLY TWO SOLUTIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM :
Fix or replace your fan so it cools the CPU and other chips properly.
I fixed my fan myself and I didn't need to buy a new one. Total cost was about $8.00 because I had to buy a #00 sized screwdriver and had it shipped to me. Price includes shipping.
On my mid 2009 model MacBook Pro fixing the fan was incredibly easy :
Before I started doing this I wasn't 100% this was the problem so I decided to try to fix my fan instead of ordering a new one and replacing it. As it turns out I didn't need a new fan, I only needed to clean the existing fan and relube it's axl so it could spin easier like when it was new.  It also didn't make sense to buy a brand new fan from an Apple authorized parts reseller selling me the same low quality fan for $49.00 which would probably fail in 2 years again. Prices for new comparable fans from different manufactures range from about $15.00 USD + shipping to around $49.00 USD + shipping depending on where you order them from and what brand you get.
How to fix / replace your internal fan on a mid 2009 MacBook Pro :
Please note : I am not a hardware technician, nor expert. If you decide to fix your Mac yourself you do so at your own risk through no fault of my own. Prior to opening up your Mac you should google around and learn how to do it correctly and safely so you won't damage your Mac. For example, it is possible for you to damage your Mac by static electricity from your body. To avoid this I believe proper procedure is that you wear a 'ground strap' (around your wrist) which  you clip to your Mac's metal body so your body will not excude a charge into your Mac. I believe the idea here is to keep your body's charge level and your Mac's similar. Since I do not have a ground strap and fixing/replacing the fan doesn't require touching any chips I did not wear a ground strap during my fan fix. What I did was periodically repeatedly touch the metal case of my MBP hoping that would be enough and it was. Avoid unecessary actions that can build up a static charge in you. Once I started the repair I did not walk around the room building up an electrical charge in my body. Walking on carpet can often build up a large charge in us so it is better to be avoided while working on your Mac. Certain clothing can build up static charges. Combing hair, etc. If you need to get up from your repair when you come back make sure you first touch the Mac's metal case and not anything inside.
Now that we're done with the scary paranoia, below you will find some instructions on how I fixed my MBP's internal fan
Before you begin:
Check out someone's video (not mine) on how to remove / replace the fan (but not take it apart and repair it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AghE9newvbs
Check out someone's web page (not mine) on how to replace the fan in a mid 2009 MacBook Pro:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Mid-2009-Fan/ 1338/1
How to repair your mid 2009 MacBook Pro fan:
Make sure you are in a 'secure' environment. No pets, no kids running around, no drinks near the Mac, etc. 
Make sure your computer is unplugged from it's power supply and turned off. NOT slept. Totally off / powered down.
1. Get a size #00 phillips screwdriver (Hobby store, Radioshack, Amazon).
2. Open up your MBP by unscrewing the bottom (yes flip it over so it's resting upsidedown). Note where each screw goes because some are different lengths. I placed each one around my MBP where they go, insuring I know their order (don't jumble them up). Note which direction your MBP is facing when it's upside down so if you spin it around while working on it you still know where the screws go.
2b. Some recommend removing the MBP's battery but I didn't do this step. You probably should, just to be safe. Follow the online instructions from the web page I listed about disconnecting the battery.
3. Unscrew the fan's 3 holding screws.
4. Unplug the fan's electrical connection (lift it straight up off the board). If you need to you can try to pry it up while you lift with a non metal/non electrical conductive object like a spudger if you have one or -perhaps a pen cap. Before you remove it, look closely at how it's attached so when you put it back on you won't wonder if you're doing it correctly. There's only one way it can go because it cannot fit 'the wrong way' but looking at it closely will make you feel more confident popping it back on when the time comes.
5. Remove the fan - it easily lifts out.
6. Take the fan apart by unscrewing it's one screw then unlatching the  plastic clips which hold it together.
7. Seperate the fan blades from the housing. Lift the fan blades off of the fan housing by pulling it straight out away from the housing.
8. Clean off the dust that's gathered. A can of compressed air helps here (I didn't have one). I used a little brush from my electric shaver kit which worked well. Once you've removed all the dust from the fan and surrounding areas proceed to the next step.
9. Reapply new lubrication. You need less than 1 drop. Be sure it covers the entire fan blade axl as this is what needs to be well lubricated. Make sure there isn't excess oil that will fly around when the axl/fan spins at high rpms. I used the only oil I had which was olive oil (for cooking!) but I do not suggest this. At the time I was doing this I didn't know my fan was the problem so I wasn't even sure I was going to relube it. You should probably use something more appropriate perhaps like 3 in 1 oil. A good idea would be to call the manufatures of these little fans and ask them. Maybe a hobby store knows of good lubricants for these purposes?
DO NOT use things like WD 40 as it's not a long term lubricant or so I've read.
10. Once your fan is now clean and oiled (make sure there isn't too much oil) reassmble the fan.
Push the fan blades/axl back into the housing shaft. Give it a few spins with your finger.
Screw together the fan housing then reclip the clips.
11. Place the now reassembled fan back into your Mac and screw it in place (3 screws).
12. Reattach the fan's electrical wiring by gently pushing it into place. Make sure you've got the right end facing down before you push it in place.
13. Once your Mac's internals are clean and reassembled, place the rear cover back on your Mac and screw it in place.
14. Double check you didn't forget anything like screws, tools, etc.
15. Boot up your Mac and monitor the temperature and fan speed using those programs.
Compare the previous temps/fan speed to the current temp/fan speed.
Run a high CPU intensive app where your computer has been slowing down.
You should now have a happy Mac
If you have this problem and this solution fixed it for you please post in this thread letting me and everyone else know!
Hope that helps.

Answer 1

Thanks for your lengthy reminder dude, I have a similar Mac with yours. I suspect its a software fault because it happens after I upgraded to Lion, 10.7.2.