Applying Thermal Paste - Your Opinions

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:12

I need to re-apply thermal paste to a CPU (AMD AM3 Phenom II, Tri Core) and Heat Sink (Arctic Freezer 64 Pro).

I have bought some themral paste (Akasa AK-455 Thermal Compound), but I need to remove the remnanats of the old paste that originally came with the heat sink and got smeared on the CPU. I've heard that Isopropyl Alcohol is a good solution to sue with cotton swabs, or a cleaner like the Akasa AK-TC TIM Clean CPU & Heatsink.

Is there anything else around the house I can use to clean the CPU and Heat Sink, or should I order one of the above two solutions before attempting to re-apply the paste?

Also, I've heard that using a credit card to re-apply the paste evenly across the CPU is a good idea. Would you recommend it? Also, how do I ensure that the force from the Freezer Pro 64 won'y cause any thermal solution to seep out of the sides and into the chipset? I mean, you've got to be pretty harsh with that Freezer Pro to get it to lock in, and once it's locked, I don't think there's any way I can see the sides to be able to clean away any surplus...

Thanks for any help you can provide. (I know I'm becoming a bit of a pain on this forum

)

- Dave

ScarySquirrel · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:21

I use:

Isopropyl Alcohol to clean with lint free cloth
Nectar Card to apply paste

alex24 · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:38

I also use isopropyl alcohol to clean, seems to work well.

I think the credit card idea will work best with the thicker type pastes. This is because they do not spread out as easily when the heatsink is put on, so they need a bit of help.

I use Arctic Silver 5 for everything I can, gives very good temps once it's been on a while, and does not need spreading, just a blob in the middle works a treat, as per the instructions from arctic cooling.

I'm not sure about your akasa compound, but I see no harm in spreading as long as you don't let dust and things stick to it before you put the heatsink on. It's probably safer than AS5 since it's not as conductive too.

sketch145 · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:43

I also use isopropyl alchohol to clean the chip, and an old top up card to apply the paste.

one word of warning though, I replaced my stock heatsink with the freezer pro yesterday and accidentally pulled out the CPU as well as the heatsink (without undoing the latch

) it bent about half of the pins on my CPU, which I realigned with a screwdriver. luckily everything was fine although it really does pay to be gentle and dont force anything.

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:49

sketch145 said:
I also use isopropyl alchohol to clean the chip, and an old top up card to apply the paste.

one word of warning though, I replaced my stock heatsink with the freezer pro yesterday and accidentally pulled out the CPU as well as the heatsink (without undoing the latch) it bent about half of the pins on my CPU, which I realigned with a screwdriver. luckily everything was fine although it really does pay to be gentle and dont force anything.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to be as gentle as possible. I just find it hard to attach the Freezer Pro without really forcing the lever down, you know? I was scared I was going to break it, but there was no other way I could get it on...

Is the thermal paste that I have not a metal-based thermal paste, then? Is it a ceramic based one?

Does this type of paste still need spreading, or do people generally just dab a blob in the middle and then apply the heatsink?

Azza · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:51

I do mine Jacob Billing style.

Raziel1 · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:57

isopropyl alchohol to clean off the old stuff.

I have previously used an old card to spread the paste, but after reading some comments on a thread on here & looking at the instructions on the Artic silver website I used a small blob in the middle of the chip this time

Ben M · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:02

To remove: TIM cleaner
to apply: http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

matthewhotdude · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:03

why do you need that stuff to clean it with? (sorry im new)

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:08

matthewhotdude said:
why do you need that stuff to clean it with? (sorry im new)

You need to remove the old paste so that when you apply the new paste, you ensure that it fills in the all the air pockets and imperfections between the connection of the heat sink and the cpu. No metal surface is prefectly flat.

I found a good web page explaining the process here : http://www.techpowerup.com/printarticle.php?id=134

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:18

So, to spread or not to spread, guys? (Bear in mind my specific CPU and Thermal Paste)

I'll definitely pick up some Isopropyl Alcohol later.

alex24 · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:24

Do the akasa instructions (on their site?) recommend one or the other?

cje · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:25

Thin line down the middle, or whatever the manufacturer of your thermal paste recommends.

You also needs some Q-tips, or cotton buds. And lint free cloth. To clean the old paste off.

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 11:31

Yeah, the website suggests spreading across the CPU surface. Well, it says across the surface of the "die", which I assume means the surface of the CPU...

However, it tells me to use the spreader card (included), which I never recieved with my tube of thermal paste.

I'll just use a credit card.

LOAM · 19 Mar 2009 at 12:10

best lint free cloths are coffee filters, cheap as chips as well

Faffer · 19 Mar 2009 at 13:22

I use Arctic Silver 5 and just a sheet of kitchen towel on it's own cleans it off fine. For other, harder thermal pastes, I've used a bit of white spirit in the past.

For applying to CPU, I use a tiny blob of thermal paste and spead it as evenly and thinly as possible, using an old credit card.

exhumedye · 19 Mar 2009 at 13:22

I just got some tissue and rubbed mine off lol, seemed to work fine for me xD

FRS2462 · 19 Mar 2009 at 14:08

I use the ArctiClean kit from Arctic to clean any excess paste from CPU and Heatsink surfaces with a couple of lint free cloths.
You can use cotton buds if you need to clean any edges or if any has spilled over from previous applications.
I use Arctic Cooling MX-2 which is very easy to work with and gives very good temperature results aswell.
I apply a thin strip down one side of the CPU and use a section of an old video members card to spread it evenly.
Just remember less is more when it comes to thermal paste. It should not be oozing out the sides if you have applied the correct amount.

sketch145 · 19 Mar 2009 at 15:10

Smackey Omp said:
Thanks for the advice. I'll try to be as gentle as possible. I just find it hard to attach the Freezer Pro without really forcing the lever down, you know? I was scared I was going to break it, but there was no other way I could get it on...

Is the thermal paste that I have not a metal-based thermal paste, then? Is it a ceramic based one?

Does this type of paste still need spreading, or do people generally just dab a blob in the middle and then apply the heatsink?

yeah it is a really tight fit, I had to take my power supply out just so I could line it up. once it was on though my temps dropped from 36 to 25 degrees idle with ocz freeze extreme paste.

Smackey Omp · 19 Mar 2009 at 15:37

Right, I've applied the paste to the CPU, but when I try andspread it, it just seems to clump up...

I've pulled it out evenly with a credit card, but the metal just seems a hazy colour... I can't actually see much of the grey paste covering the CPU...

I think I'm doing it wrong, but it's really hard to spread the frey paste evenly without it just coming off on the card and making the metal just seem a hazy colour...