Graphic Cards GPU cleanup gone wrong

[touzeen]

So I got about my monthly CPU dusting yesterday and saw that the GPU heatsink was clogged as hell.I have a Powercolor 6850.
So i took off the 4 screws at the back of the card and lifted up the Cooler from the GPU PCB,disconnected the fan and separated the plastic shroud from the steel/copper heatsink.
I was doing this on my balcony and when it was time to put it all together,I couldnt find one of the 4 screws at the back(fixed the heatsink to the PCB.So i have only 3 out of 4 in place.These screws are weird,having a spring loaded in them.I looked in a few shops and none of them had them.
Now the problem is my GPU goes from 60*C idle to 110*C even when playing a HD video file!(85*C for any standard res video) and shuts down the system.
Iv tried making sure i have enough TIM between the chip and heatsink.
My doubt is could it be a faulty PSU? Im using a Corsair 500W(1st gen) Gamer Series.
Or is it a bad contact with the heat sink?
Previous load temps were below 85*C

 

[harshit143]

I think its lack of proper contact between GPU and its heatsink. Have u checked if ur fan is working properly?

 

[axeman]

TIM should be bare minimum possible, as the layer needs to be very thin. NOT "adequate".
Buy a regular long screw that fits, trim it to the needed size, get a ballpen with spring which will fit the screw, trim size of spring as required and use this for replacement.
There are workshops which make screw/spring combos as per sample, but dont know about where you are, so best to jugaad.

 

[cranky]

If you've ever wondered why a dog can't walk and pee at the same time, this is it.

You have a heatsink that is badly skewed to one side. Basically about half the chip has no contact with the sink at all. Unless you work out a way to add equal pressure on all four corners, you shouldn't be using the card. You also run the risk of chipping the GPU die (it's a naked die and has no heatspreader) if you persist with the uneven pressure.

 

[mk76]

TIM should be bare minimum possible, as the layer needs to be very thin. NOT "adequate".
Buy a regular long screw that fits, trim it to the needed size, get a ballpen with spring which will fit the screw, trim size of spring as required and use this for replacement.
There are workshops which make screw/spring combos as per sample, but dont know about where you are, so best to jugaad.

+1. Also you can post a pic of screw/combo and check if someone on TE has matching spares from old/dead cards.

 

[6pack]

Can't you make your own spring with some metal wire? Springs are so easy to make.

 

[asingh]

Lesson learnt.

Whenever one opens screws from a device, always put them in a small bowl or container. Just keep plonking them in, and keep it far from your working periphery, so you do not knock them off with your hand. You should have immediately got a magnet and swept the area for the screw. But too late now.

What next:
See if you can buy a "for-sale" GPU and harvest the screw from the back. The spring loaded X on the back is what binds the HSF hard down to the GPU core. It is like the back plate, and has to be fastened tight. Let me check this weekend, I might have some screws of that size. Remote chance, but will check.

 

[Gannu]

^That's a good idea. Get hold of a similar screw with a spring from an old GPU. I wouldn't advise you to make your spring or use one from other sources - their tensions vary and may not get adequate compression when screwed down. The spring from a ball pen is grossly insufficient to hold the heatsink to the backplate assembly. It has a larger length as well - shortening it is of practically no use.

Post a snap of the spring loaded screw on the WTB section and see if someone can donate you one from a dead GPU.

 

[vivek.krishnan]

Was LOLing at cranky's one liner.

Anyways, would recommend to post pics with the model number. If any of us do find a similar screw, should post it here. Also, why dont you ask the service centre if they have one? Might be able to help you out.

 

[asingh]

^That's a good idea. Get hold of a similar screw with a spring from an old GPU. I wouldn't advise you to make your spring or use one from other sources - their tensions vary and may not get adequate compression when screwed down. The spring from a ball pen is grossly insufficient to hold the heatsink to the backplate assembly. It has a larger length as well - shortening it is of practically no use.

Post a snap of the spring loaded screw on the WTB section and see if someone can donate you one from a dead GPU.

Oh God..he lost the spring too. I always disengage the spring from the screw. Then he has to find a dead GPU somewhere. The size is usually uniform.

 

[TheIndian]

Can't you make your own spring with some metal wire? Springs are so easy to make.

hahahahaha, so says someone who has no clue how intricate spring making is

 

[joel.monty]

Use zip ties to tighten the contact,im using it on my gpu no problems.

 

[6pack]

hahahahaha, so says someone who has no clue how intricate spring making is

oh? spring making is intricate? care to post some links to justify your ridiculing my answer and show how intricate spring making is?

 

[touzeen]

OK,so i managed to make a similar screw with a screw of similar pitch and with an added square shaped washer.
The screw i lost was something like this but the spring was more taught and compact.

Now the temps are back to normal.
Damn hot here in chennai with temps reaching 40*C and the stock cooler just isnt cutting it.There is just so much fiddling with cabinet air flow can do to reduce temps.

 

[TheIndian]

oh? spring making is intricate? care to post some links to justify your ridiculing my answer and show how intricate spring making is?

I am sure you know how to google and find the answer as easily as I can, but if you can't still find it let me know. In the meanwhile consider this, does a wire wrapped around a nail not jump and become a spring? Why are some springs soft some hard, what makes it so?

 

[viralbug]

^That's a good idea. Get hold of a similar screw with a spring from an old GPU. I wouldn't advise you to make your spring or use one from other sources - their tensions vary and may not get adequate compression when screwed down. The spring from a ball pen is grossly insufficient to hold the heatsink to the backplate assembly. It has a larger length as well - shortening it is of practically no use.

Post a snap of the spring loaded screw on the WTB section and see if someone can donate you one from a dead GPU.

Exactly. Spring tensions will vary.
Anyways, good to see you got it back working.

 

[touzeen]

OK so we had an 8hr power cut today and me being in the middle of looking through GTX660 reviews.I saw a post about a guy who mounted a Intel CPU cooler on a grfx card with zip ties.
Having nothing better to do and being convinced that ill 99% be buying the GTX 660 this weekend,i dug out my old Socket 478 cooler.This is was a no name chinese brand with fins cut out in the shape of dragons but it did wonders for my Prescott 3.0.
So i slapped some TIM on the GPU and aligned the bracket to 2 diagonal screw holes and fixed them as tight as possible with zipties!
Now had to wait 6 hours for the power to come back so i could try it out...
And when i did... MIND was BLOWN!
Idle temp:55*C
Load temp. MAX:78*C (1hr of Battlefield 3 @ Ultra settings)

Seriously...WTF!
Pics below:

The 3 pin connector was too big for the socket on the card,so connected it to the PWRFAN on the mobo,and i dont know how but its auto controlled according to the temp increase/decrease!

Only bad news,No GTX660 for now i guess...

 

[TheIndian]

........
And when i did... MIND was BLOWN!
Idle temp:55*C
Load temp. MAX:78*C (1hr of Battlefield 3 @ Ultra settings)
.....
The 3 pin connector was too big for the socket on the card,so connected it to the PWRFAN on the mobo,and i dont know how but its auto controlled according to the temp increase/decrease!

Only bad news,No GTX660 for now i guess...

For comparison what were the temps before this experiment.

 

[touzeen]

Idle 65
Load 103
:-D

 

[TheIndian]

Idle 65
Load 103
:-D

I guess you were blown away, literally