Lapping...worth it?

MouthBoy

MouthBoy

MouthBoy

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Hey All

I am thinking of lapping my Q6600 and Megahalems. Right now I can get 3.4Ghz stable and I think I can get 3.5Ghz stable too but the temps are too much for my liking really. My aim is 3.6Ghz so my RAM runs 1:1 rather then over/underclocking it.

I have read that lapping can take up to 10'c off if done right, but how correct is this? It seems like a mixed subject really as some agree and do it and others that have also done it say it had no effect. Opinions?

What are the risks involved too? I mean, how much chance is there that I might go wrong or lap too much etc?

I am not looking for a miracle from this lapping but if there is a chance to drop a good few degrees then I will probably do it.

Thanks
 
If you lap the heatsink and cpu and then use a good thermal compound you can see quite a hefty drop in temps. I've lapped probably half a dozen and everyone has seen a worth while drop in temps so I'll continue to do all my cpus.

The risks are fairly minimal, more so now that they've removed the pins off the cpus. All you need to do is take you time use just enough water and make your way through the various grades of wet and dry.

MW
 
hmmm how high ARE your temps or do you just 'not like' them because they gotta be really high to actually limit your overclocking.
I have a megahalems, lapping may be risky as the base is deliberately slightly convex to apply pressure over the IHS. by all means do the quad it's not hard but should take you 30-40mins
 
I done it on my Q6600 and this knocked off about 3-4c, didn't bother with my i7 for a long time until recently and this has evened out the idle and load temps rather than seeing a significant drop - probably at most 1 or 2c on the hottest cores. Still happy I done it though to even out the temps
 
3t3P said:
hmmm how high ARE your temps or do you just 'not like' them because they gotta be really high to actually limit your overclocking
Click to expand...

Basically at 3.4Ghz on ITB I am about 82'c on my cores, 3.5Ghz goes over 85'c so I think its too hot. I have my CPU to auto shutdown when the CPU temp is over 75'c and it shuts down when testing. 3.4Ghz is under 70'c, 3.5Ghz is hitting 75'c. Annoyingly due to always having a hot university room my ambient temps are very very high, for example on a normal morning I am around 24-27'c in my room and mid days I am sometimes 30'c. Its extrememly annoying!
 
82c is rather toasty, I think 5c is about the most you could expect the core temps to drop by. What cooler are you using and what vcore for 3.4GHz?
 
82'c is toasty for cores but thats under IBT, Prime95 doesnt go over 75'c.

For 3.4Ghz I am using +0.150V which I think is 1.375V...my BIOS doesnt display the ACTUAL voltage. CPU-Z shows it hanging around 1.375 under full load.

My case has a 140mm at the front pulling in, and 2 fans exhuasting, 1 top and 1 back, both 120mm. I use a Megahalems with an Apache Black on my CPU also. There is not a single cable that goes over my motherboard at all. The only cable that "intrudes" is the 2x6pins for the GFX, but they go round the back and out through the motherboard tray.

I think thats all the questions answered.
 
Damn you, before I saw this thread I didn't know what lapping was! Now I have read lots of guides, tutorials and blogs; I cannot help but want to do it to my processor.

I was also wondering what are the main considerations and possible problems that can occur with lapping? I can think of, other than the warranty (Which it is out of now):

- Short curcuiting the processor: Either from dust, water or not grounding properly (Depending on how you lap your CPU).
- Lapping too hard and possibly crushing the CPU?
- Lapping too much into the heart of the processor
- Improper lapping causing worse uneven top than you start with

That is about all I can think of, are there any more considerations? Also how do I minimise these risks?
 
My Q6600 can do it though, its just heat being the issue. I really think that I can get 3.6ghz, but again, damn heat!
 
I got mixed results myself; after I lapped the q6600 (b3) and the tunic tower I had the temp dropped 5-10c. Done the same with e7200 and ac7 and the temp actually got higher. You'll never know until you've done the lapping unfortunately. But with your load temp in the 80s looks like it might benefit. But if you're planning to sell the chip afterwards though...
 
I have a Coolit ECO ALC, unsure whether to start a new thread, and would like opinions on whether to lap that or not? I am worried about the fixtures as they overhang the side of the copper contact. Perhaps I can remove the copper, or the reason it is detachable?

ECO-rentention_system-TCS2.jpg


I have also seen lots of people posting about lapping their corsair H50 and I cannot find a single blog, guide, demonstration or post about doing the same to a Coolit ECO ALC.

P.S/ Sorry about the typos.
 
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Doubt there is a guide for the Coolit system, its more of "get the theory and apply it to your needs" type thing.

With the technique, correct me if I am wrong but its basically using grade 400 > 1600-2000ish, on a flat surface (glass is best), slight water added to the paper, do this until you basically get a shiny chip?
 
I guess it depends, every chip is different. You are just trying to make a flat and smooth a surface as possible whilst wearing away as little of the zinc, copper, etc. Obviously the flatter it is, the better the HSF will seat on to it. The smoother it is, the more direct contact you have between CPU and HSF as well as fewer air pockets.

smeaney said:
Doubt there is a guide for the Coolit system, its more of "get the theory and apply it to your needs" type thing.
Click to expand...

Yes but as I mentioned people have talked and posted about them lapping Corsair H50s but I have heard nothing and can find nothing about anyone doing it to their Coolit ECO ALC.
 
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I dropped ten degrees when I lapped my e6300, there's a thread here somewhere on it...

Sounds like your airflow is ok, I covered the back of my CPU in masking tape and used a glass chopping board, lapped the scythe ninja too and now they slightly 'stick' to each other with no paste because they mate so well:D
 
Nearly all the megahalems reviews I have read have specifically stated NOT to lap the base as it has been precision built with a slight bow to the centre. You will notice when removing the megahalems that the very centre contact patch will be ingrained on the thermal compound showing more pressure than the surrounding area.

From www.prolimatech.com -

Lapping Warning!
Prolimatech does not condone any type of lapping done to the CPU or to heatsink base. Every Prolimatech's heatsink base is designed on a pin-point scale of how the base is to be flat and/or curved where it's needed to be. We have programed our machines to machine the surface in a very calculated way. Any after-manufacture lapping or modding done to the base will alter the design, hence negating its performance factor as well as its warranty.
 
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