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Heatsink expanded?!

BuToNz

BuToNz

BuToNz

Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2007
Posts
2,796
Location
Eastbourne, East Sussex
Was just breaking down an old graphics card to re-thermal paste and fix the fan from not spinning and I noticed the fan was catching on the heatsink.

Further removal of the heatsink shows it seems to have expanded? Never seen this before - any idea's how it could have happened? It actually rattles (Something inside the heatsink is loose).

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Going to need to replace the heatsink with something too so any idea's what with? It's only a 6670 so nothing great but would like to reuse it if possible.
 
Looks like it has warped, not expanded. Guessing it got extremely hot.

Btw, what on earth is going on with that pcb? Bizarre pattern on it? Damage?
 
Looking at pics, Is that not entirely knackered?

Edit: nvm meant to be like that I think. You might be able to find a cheap cooler on eBay?
 
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Gregster said:
You could always wet and dry the heatsink down with some fine sandpaper.
Click to expand...

That's going to take quite some time with wet and dry, judging by the pictures I think you'd need to get the grinder out!

(and thanks for the pic's I do like some naked GFX card pwn) :eek:
 
PCB is supposed to look like that...Here is a stock image:
AMD_Radeon_HD_6670_Gets_Torn_Apart_and_Benchmark.jpg

Was my first thought too when I took it off though!

I don't think the heatsink is 'solid' as the inside has something rattling inside. I assume this is some sort of vapor chamber design? I see a small heatpipe running on the side of the heatsink lump. It was definitely expanded as it is also lumped outwards on the top (Where the fan sits) too.

Keeping an eye out on ebay now for a replacement but they seem to be far between. :(
 
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Did you bend the heatsink back into shape or did it just back naturally as it cooled down? (or is the 2nd picture just from the other side?) I've never seen heat expansion as bad as that... I'm surprised it didn't crush the core or crack the PCB.

If it's been like that permanently then I guess it could just have been a manufacturing defect and they thought **** it. Are you sure the rattle is not just the fan on the way out? they don't last forever.
 
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mmj_uk said:
Did you bend the heatsink back into shape or did it just back naturally as it cooled down? (or is the 2nd picture just from the other side?) I've never seen heat expansion as bad as that... I'm surprised it didn't crush the core or crack the PCB.

If it's been like that permanently then I guess it could just have been a manufacturing defect and they thought **** it. Are you sure the rattle is not just the fan on the way out? they don't last forever.
Click to expand...

It's not bent back, still expanded. I assume it's got like this over time as the fan sits on top of the heatsink and was catching due to the expansion. In the picture's the fan/shroud is on the table as I removed it.

Should look like this: http://www.madshrimps.be/articles/a...HD-6670-1GB-Video-Card-Review/2#axzz3mkbrPJzX
 
It was probably just bent at the point of manufacturing, they probably just lobbed it on hoping the user never noticed or had any overheating issues.
 
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I have the sapphire ultimate 5670 which is probably the same thing. It works really well with a passive cooler because of it's low TDP.

I'd stick something like an Accelero S1 on it.
 
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