Alpenföhn K2 Mount Doom fitting question/perfomance issue.

[Armadillo]

Got my K2 yesterday, but it doesn't seem to be performing as I hoped and as it should according to reviews. My x4 955 is running at [email protected]

My 212+ would hit 58C priming and around 35C idle, the k2 is hitting 55C priming and around 35C idle, so there doesn't seem to be much in it, except the 212+ runs at 2000rpm and this 1500rpm. I have it set up as the manual shows, 140mm fan plugged into the 120mm and that plugged into the board. So I can only assume it needs to be reseated/fitted. I've never had one of these big dual tower coolers before, so I have a couple questions before I redo it.

Thermal paste, this cooler seems to have a much bigger contact area than others I've used, I used my normal method of small amount in centre, let pressure spread it out, which has worked fine before. Still okay to use that on this? or is there a different way for the bigger coolers?

More specifically to this cooler, but I guess they all have similar mounting systems. Just how tight do they need to be? The manual says to tighten the two screws, by hand or tool (they are thumbscrews, with slot for screwdriver as well) until the cooler is secure. I tightened them up by hand until I could not do it any more, then gave them a couple of turns with the screwdriver. The heatsink cannot move and seemed secure, but something is not right, so maybe not down tight enough to make as good contact as it should. Should I tighten the screws as much as I can with a screwdriver? I done them all the way on the 212+, but unsure with this cooler. The pressure is evenly distributed as it's basically a big bar across the base of it to secure it and screws have spring things under them, so shouldn't cause problems, just unsure with one of these big coolers.

Also not sure if this would cause a problem, but thought I'd ask. When I installed it the first time, I had to move it around a bit to line it up and I heard a suction noise from it. Possible it caused air bubbles to get in the paste and prevent good contact? as I've never heard it before with other smaller coolers, if so I'll try to avoid moving it too much on the reseat.

Thanks .

 

[PCplod]

I have this cooler and it performs brilliantly, running at 4.5 ghz and a few degress above room temp idle and 48-58 degrees during BF3 during intel burn test and prime it reaches 66 degrees.

It must be the way you have mounted/applies the thermal paste.

Heres how I did it-

The K2 has a convex base (it is out a little in the middle) and a little bit oblong, so put a small grain of rice length ways on the CPU (exactly the size of a small grain of rice) and carefully line the cooler up and gently put it on, it should float on the CPU just hold it there and get the bracket to put over the top and put the screws in.

Tighten each screw up 1 of half a turn each, not 1 at a time so it is spread even and pressure is even, when it gets tight do it bit by bit on each screw and just tighten it up until nice and tight hand strength, not arm strength or brute force.

Then it should be alright, luckily I got mine right the first time and its a dream.

Also make sure you have put the backplate and bracket on properly as you may have made a mistake and the cooler might not be touching the CPU enough.

 

[Armadillo]

Backplate is on fine, I am sure of that. The two amd support brackets are both lined up with each other and all the insulating plastic cylinder things are flat to the board. So must be a tightness/thermal paste issue.

Just to clarify, as I really don't want to have to try a third time with it. When you say grain of rice lengthwise, you mean lengthwise of the coolerbase? As the cpu is square. So the grain of rice sized thermal paste would be top to bottom, obviously not the whole length, but that orientation.

Also the screws, when you say hand strength, did you mean with a screwdriver, but just using your hand strength as you say, or actually doing them up with your hand as they are thumbscrews .

Sorry for more questions, but really want to get it right the 2nd time .

Thanks.

 

[Armadillo]

Reseated it and seems a lot better. Done the screws up tight this time. Dropped about 5-7C of it on the reseat depending on activity. Primed it for 15min and it maxed at 52C, compared to 56C before (made a mistake in first post, was 56C max) and idling around 29/30C compared to 35C.

It's also much hotter today than it was yesterday so a decent improvement and still 10C under thermal limit .

 

[PCplod]

I am on intel so it may have been a little different with the screws, and I meant grain of rice the cooler base length (if you get what I mean) .

Anyway sounds like you got it sorted now, temps looks good