3080 FE Thermal Pad change: Mem Temps still 100c!! Help!

[Rhaos]

So, did the thermal pad change mod on my Founders Edition 3080.

Must have opened the card up three times now, and readjusted the thermal pads/squished them down but still cannot get the Memory Junction Temps below 100 Degrees Centigrade.

After running Heaven Benchmark the max temps of the Memory Junction hit 102c

I used the Gelid 3mm on the back and 2mmm on the gpu die side. I followed the template by CoolPenguin1 https://imgur.com/a/aJgLwMx. Anyone got any tips or suggestions on what I can try to fix this? Is there a particular spot on the card i need to be aware of to cover with the thermal pad?

 

[Rhaos]

Try using sellotape or good adhesive tape on those places that the thermal pad has been embeded into. Worked for me

Anyways here are photos of the card front and back with pads applied. Please note these are taken after the removing the case around the card and not straight after applying the pads.

One of the smaller pads on the back of the card looks quite butchered so repalced it although its not in the photo

Really interested to hear if I've missed a spot

https://ibb.co/qsGSm3W

https://ibb.co/5rkwCvQ

 

[Rhaos]

Redid it all 3 times today, Reapplied thermal paste and pressing down on the pads to make sure they are were not preventing the backpaltes from making contact.

And still no joy.

I'm stumped completely as to what I have done wrong here.

Starting to wonder if I should rebuy another load of Gelid Thermal pads.

Anyone got any ideas what else top try here? Starting to regret changing the pads now

 

[Rhaos]

So I've had a disaster

Tried to remove the backplate screws and one of the hex screws is threaded.......fml

Had enough of this, spent all day trying to remedy this all for nothing.

Should never have bothered doing this.

 

[Rhaos]

yes

the head of the screw wont loosen and the star head I used is just spining in top of the screw and I cant get it undone. The other 3 loosen no issue, just this one and I have no way to get it lose.

Gutted and at a loss what to do.

My pads were like that originally, but i had no improvement. Searched the internet and noticed a few people had the same issue as I did on Reddit. They managed to resolve the hotspot issue by squishing down the pads.

If anyone has a time machine or knows a magician send them my way.

 

[Rhaos]

Can you post a picture, a good close up?
Options will be, force next size bit into head and force it to turn or Dremel a slot, or drill the screw out.
If these things are out of your comfort zone, then you need to find a good electronics repair shop.

Thanks FlyingFish, I'll post pics tomorrow at some point.

All the videos and guides I've seen for 3080FE say Gelid extreme 3mm for back and 2mm for Front GPU side.

 

[Rhaos]

If its just the top head which won't turn. Try unscrewing with an elastic band between the screwdriver and screw

I'll give this a go, also found out that aluminium foil can also do the same.

At least I have an option here to remedy this. Will let you know how I get on.

Also thinking I may try 2.0 mm on the back and 1.5 on the front. Still cant believe that even though the pads have been making contact the temps have gone up as high as they have with the change from stock to Gelid. Maybe 2.0mm and 300 mm is too thick after all.

Artic MX4 good enough for the gpu die? Or anything better out there?

@uscool - When you redid it the 2nd time did you have better improvements using less pieces on the back and covering less of those componets?

 

[Rhaos]

Does anyone know the size the Torx t5 screws? that are under the tiny magnetic covers? Are they T5 3mm? Trying to look for a replacement online.

Would these do?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303507445943?hash=item46aa7418b7:g:xSAAAOSwCEheYYas

Hoping to remove that threaded T5 screw today at some point.

 

[Rhaos]

Thanks FlyingFish, any idea what they would be called if not coutnersunk. Sorry dont know to much on screw types so any assitance you or anyone can give here is appreciated.

Looks like Im going to have to do that, Have not seen anywhere on the web that states the sizes.

 

[Rhaos]

just tried the rubber band method andaluminium foil, neither has worked for me :

The screws are 6mm in size

@FlyingFish - those are not the screws. its the T5 screws under the little magnetic covers i am referign to.

 

[Rhaos]

Ive had to order a screw extractor set from Amazon. Nothing that I have tried this morning has worked to even loosen it a little.

Issue I have is finding replacement screws. Want to reaplce all 4 of the T5 6m screws but cant seems to locate an equivalent. Even had a look at nvidias site and not luck there. Would prefer cross head if there are any, jsut not sure what Im looking for.

To everyone who has commented on this post and given advice, I thank you so much. Im feeling pretty down at the moment with what has happened and regreting my decision to atempt the thermal pad mod.

 

[Rhaos]

The only reason I'm considering upgrading my thermal pads. My PC is silent otherwise.

I came across this guide, which I'll follow. Looks a pretty solid guide to me.
https://willmnorris.medium.com/guide-to-nvidia-3080-fe-thermal-pad-mod-cf378339f7ac

Hopefully the op sorts his issues out!

Be careful, wouldnt want what happened to me to happen to you. If the fans arent going full speed whilst gaming, I wouldnt bother changing the pads.

I followed the video (basically the same as the post) had the pads in the same postions and asw no change to memory junction temps. I then read a few osts on reddit advising to squish down the pads which I did (see my photos) and that resulted in the mem junc temps going up to 104c

 

[Rhaos]

Pads your using are way to thick , you need 1.5mm Gelid Ultimate on the front ( die side ) and 2,0mm Gelid ultimate on the back . i tried 2.0mm front but core wasn't making good contact . with 1.5mm core is now perfect and memory sits at 74 to 82 depending on fan speed

A lot of the guides out there and YouTube videos are stating 2mm on the die and 3mm on the back.

I agree with you though, I do believe now they need to be thinner.

 

[Rhaos]

Wondering if I should go with the Ultimate pads an the smaller thickness Like Jay-G25 suggestion over the extreme pads.

I think everybody can feel your pain. Chances were one of us would hit a major problem changing the pads when we really shouldn't have to. Hopefully you can find a way of getting that screw out and replacing any threaded ones.

Thanks tommoT.Striker hoping the screw extractor works.

are you mining?
If not the simplist thing to do, is put it back together and take it to CEX. Take their £1150 and then buy a 3080ti in the next drop.

I don't mine, and have thought to take it to CEX.

Personally I just want to fix what I've broke and start to enjoy the damn thing.

 

[Rhaos]

@Murphy - First time round I did it as you have described. Cut the thermal pads as described and aligned the accordingly. However after putting all back together, there was no temp drop. Memory Junction was still high at 100c. Thats when i started reading posts about squishing the pads down hence why I did it.

@Jay-G25 - If I can get the card free I will be trying the ultimates. Problem is the screw will not turn at all. no mater what screw head I've tried that can fit the hole, it just doesn't not grip it. the driver just spins in the screw head.

 

[Rhaos]

Today's update

THE SCREW IS OUT ^^

Not sure how I did it but Iit was a mixture of using aluminium foil over a screw head and slightly lifting up the cover to put pressure on the screw from underneath as suggested

Ok time to order up the Gelid Ultimate pads and sort this puppy out!!!

@Jay-G25 which diagrams did you follow? And how many packs of 2.0mm Ultimate do I need 1 or 2?

 

[Rhaos]

Hi uscool,

100% they were Gelid Extreme pads (still have the packaging the come in if you want me to take a phot and link tme here happy to do so)

They look butchered as I pressed them down (wrapped finger in cling film so not to touch them directly)and cut off excess with tiny scissors as I was trying to keep it as close as possible to the diagram making sure I didnt cover anythign I wasnt supposed too.

That wont happen this time round, not going to even press them down.

 

[Rhaos]

Congrats! Must be a weight off!

God yes it is.

Just need to find replacement screws.

Does anyone know where to look and the size of them.

I had a few laptop screws but they seem a little to thick in comparison.

@Jay-G25 - Ive orrdered 1x1.5mm and 2x2.0mm as the sizing is 90mm x 50mm on the Gelid Ultimate. The previosu purchase of Gelid Extreme was 1 x 2.00 and 2 x 3.00mm and the size of them was 80mm x 40mm so i think im covered.

If you think I need another pack of 1.5mm let me know as to why as.

Diagram will follow for Front.
https://imgur.com/a/aJgLwMx

 

[Rhaos]

right I didnt press them down I only pressed very lightly to get them to stick and made sure they were higher then the metal part where the GPU is in, it could have been you pressed them down to much they dont bounce back and probably ended up not contacting the heatsink properly

Thats my thinking as well. I probably compressed them way to much and in return they were not contacting with the backplateor the heatsinks

 

[Rhaos]

hi, no the screws are the T5 torx screws under the magnetic covers.

The scew height is 6mm and the width of the thread is between 1.5 and 2mm.