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How much thermal paste?

joroma

joroma

joroma

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Joined
21 Mar 2004
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638
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Dorset
Just fitted a replacement P4 Socket 478 Northy and it was idling at 70 deg! When I removed it hardly any of the thermal paste had transferred to the fan heatsink. How much thermal paste ( Servisol Silicone) should I apply. I simply smeared it on with my finger but only a thin layer!
 
well remove all the old stuff, clean it good and proper, then about a pea sized shape maybe less and smear it evenly with finger or other pokey object, very thin layer, but enough to ensure a contact between the hsf and cpu! :)
 
joroma said:
Thats going to give me a very fine layer that I don't think will contact between the cpu and hsf??
Click to expand...

just go with gut feeling, if it is too thick though it will do the opposite of what it is meant for, but it must make a contact!
 
Just had a close look at my hsf and it got a thin pad stuck to it where it contacts the cpu. Should this be removed? If I do remove it I will need even more thermal paste to fill the gap!! Is that ok??
 
Yes, thermal pad has to be removed, don't use anything sharp or metal as it may scratch/pit the heatsink. I use rubbing alcohol and a tissue plus a little fingernail power covered by the tissue, usually works. No, you don't need extra as the pad is not level with the sink so rubbing it off will not create a pit etc.
 
I thought you could use a thermal pad. I did for 6-8months on my p4....

Oh well. :o


When I brought my Zalman 9700 Aero I got a small bottle with it. The bottle had a little brush attached so I brushed on the grease.

Covered the CPU and the Cooler as well :o . Probably ***** it up.
 
Toyota_Mr2 said:
I thought you could use a thermal pad. I did for 6-8months on my p4....

Oh well. :o


When I brought my Zalman 9700 Aero I got a small bottle with it. The bottle had a little brush attached so I brushed on the grease.

Covered the CPU and the Cooler as well :o . Probably ***** it up.
Click to expand...

If you're going to use thermal compound then the thermal pad has to go, if you remove the retail sink with a thermal pad after its been used then in 99.9% of cases you can't reuse it.
 
Sorry my bad. I thought he was just using the thermal pad.

You are right. Remove the thermal pad unless you are not using a compound or have not removed it from the motherboard.

:o
 
For Clarity.
The thermal pad is attached to the New heatsink. These days they are quite efficient and if not clocking then can be used and perform quite well.
On these boards you have many Power users so a pad is not the way to go. Gently peel off the pad and clean the heatsink with tim. Apply a rice grain sized amount of paste preferebly Arctic silver. Mate the heatsink to the CPU giving a gentle twist both ways to spread the paste, then clip the heatsink down. AT this stage if you are unsure you can take the heatsink off and see how the paste has spread. If enouth then clean it off with tim and repeat if not enouth then clean it off and add a little extra. Personally i run the new heatsink with a pad for the first few days to get a benchmark temp reading & then once i am happy that all is well with my new hardware and heatsink then i remove the heatsink and pad and apply some AS.
Although my method is long winded it is fale safe and will give you the confidence to push your CPU to the max knowing that your heatsink & paste are performing as well as they should.


Can i ask people that are not sure about the job in hand not to give wrong advise, peoples systems are at stake here.
 
Thanks for all the helpful comments.

I am now wondering if, for some reason, the HSF wasn't seating properly it would be poosible for it not to contact the CPU even though the white retaining clips were in the locked position? All the clips appeared to be in place ok but I cannot think of any other explanation for the HSF, even with a thermal pad, not contacting the CPU.
 
malc30 said:
For Clarity.
clean it off with tim

.
Click to expand...


Can i ask why you're cleaning the heatsink with thermal interface material? :)

joroma said:
Thanks for all the helpful comments.

I am now wondering if, for some reason, the HSF wasn't seating properly it would be poosible for it not to contact the CPU even though the white retaining clips were in the locked position? All the clips appeared to be in place ok but I cannot think of any other explanation for the HSF, even with a thermal pad, not contacting the CPU.
Click to expand...

Quite possibly it was not right in or sloping to a side, best configuration would be to take the board out and install the sink so you're sure all the ends are pressed in fully as you can examine it more, also the underside of the motherboard.
 
Last edited:
I have always used the same method as Malc30 ie. grain sized amount in the middle and then let the pressure of the heatsink spread it out.
 
Justintime said:
Can i ask why you're cleaning the heatsink with thermal interface material? :)
Click to expand...

Because it's to hand & after removing the pad i use it to clean any gunk off that's left behind.
 
Is it ok to use meths or nail varnish remover to remove thermal paste residue from pcu and hsf? I went to a chemist to get some Isoprophyl Alcohol but you have to buy 500ml! My local pc shop doesn't stock it and suggested simply scraping it off with a credit card.
 
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