cpu heatsink on a video card?

[nick1985]

i was wondering if i could pry off the standard HSF on my ti-4200 and stick on a cpu cooler. is it possible? how would i get it to stick on?

 

[nick1985]

^

 

[BG4533]

I am using a "small" one on my GF4 MX440. I used Artic Alumina Adhesive to attach it, but it will never come off. Some things to consider are the caps and other things around the core, the distance to the AGP socket and if you ever plan on selling it or care about its warranty. The HS on my GF4 was attached with spring pins that you just push down and they come right out.

Brian

 

[BG4533]

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=270&item=HS-75&type=store

That is what I am using. Just pryed off the clips and stuck it on.

 

[pelikan]

Here's an SVC GC-68 on my old Ti4600. It's a $5. heatsink. I have that heatsink on my 9500np softmod now. On both cards it gave me about 25MHz more on both the core and memory. I run it with a panaflo L1A.
Overclockers video card mod gallery.

 

[lordtyranus2]

How many PCI does that obstruct? I'd like to put my stock HSF from my Barton 2500 to use, but its too fat.

 

[pelikan]

3

 

[nick1985]

^ for updates before i go through with it

 

[ctk1981]

Its possible. But Ive used a 1U server cooler in the past. Drilled my own 4-40 NC threads and used screws through the mounting holes to attatch it rather than epoxy. I should rephrase that, before I used to drill 6-32 threads and drill the card also. Then I got smart(er) and used the smaller tap. With a 1U server cooler it usually takes up just the next PCI slot and does an excellent job of cooling.

 

[nick1985]

ok, me and my buddy are going to go through with modding my 4200. now its time to ask questions.

1. can we just use this 3m thermal adhesive pad to stick it on there? or will it need to be drilled on through the 4 mounting holes it has.

2. if i need to drill, how should i go about drilling 4 holes into the bottom of the HSF?

any other advice for me before i go through with this?

 

[pelikan]

I'm not sure if an adhesive pad would hold it on. Also if you bolt it on and use thermal compound it will cool a lot better.
Here's how I do it:

Remove stock heatsink.
Clean core with acetone or goof off.
Set new heatsink on core positioned where you want it.
Turn card and heatsink upside down carefully, keeping heatsink in place.
Insert a pencil tip in the video card mounting holes to mark the spots to drill on the heatsink.
Get a 4-40 tap with matching drill bit and another drill bit that's twice as small.
Drill the holes with the small drill bit first. This way its easy to get the location correct because the larger bit swims around the surface.
Drill with the larger bit.
Tap the holes.
Clean heatsink and video card core with acetone.
Apply thermal compound to core.
Use 4-40 screws with rubber 0-rings to protect the pcb to mount the heatsink.

If you don't want to tap the holes use 4-40 bolts and just drill all the way through the heatsink. You have to get the fins out of the way of the bolts. A 1/4" drill bit does that nicely.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: pelikan
I'm not sure if an adhesive pad would hold it on. Also if you bolt it on and use thermal compound it will cool a lot better.
Here's how I do it:

Remove stock heatsink.
Clean core with acetone or goof off.
Set new heatsink on core positioned where you want it.
Turn card and heatsink upside down carefully, keeping heatsink in place.
Insert a pencil tip in the video card mounting holes to mark the spots to drill on the heatsink.
Get a 4-40 tap with matching drill bit and another drill bit that's twice as small.
Drill the holes with the small drill bit first. This way its easy to get the location correct because the larger bit swims around the surface.
Drill with the larger bit.
Tap the holes.
Clean heatsink and video card core with acetone.
Apply thermal compound to core.
Use 4-40 screws with rubber 0-rings to protect the pcb to mount the heatsink.

If you don't want to tap the holes use 4-40 bolts and just drill all the way through the heatsink. You have to get the fins out of the way of the bolts. A 1/4" drill bit does that nicely.

anymore advice?

 

[ctk1981]

Oops

 

[ctk1981]

Yea.....heres the exact drill bit you need. #43. If your looking for a place to get this, because I know none of the stores in my area had a 4-40, just 6-32....go to www.smallparts.com. You can pick up your #4 screws there in various lengths, get some #4 plastic washers or o-rings as mentioned. Completely up to you where you get the stuff, but like I said..I had no other choice locally.

 

[Blackroot]

you should just order a HSF made for your card, you could easily mess it up, seems to risky.

 

[ctk1981]

There is no aftermarket air cooler than can provide the same amount of cooling as slapping on a 1U server cooler. I got results with my 1U server cooler comparable to what my swiftech waterblock/peltier was capable of. The steps have been outlined for you already, it really isnt that risky. Either you do it right and it fits, or you do it wrong and worse case scenario you re-drill your holes or you get another cooler again.

 

[lordtyranus2]

Yeah, I figure that's the benefit. CPU coolers are far better at dissipating heat than any video card coolers are.

 

[Jeff7181]

Somehow I doubt it's necessary... I've never had a GPU get hot enough to need extra cooling... and I overclock the crap out of my cards.

 

[pelikan]

I've put a cpu heatsink on two different video cards. The Ti4600 was able to overclock 25MHz more on the core and memory. The 9500np softmod overclocked 40MHz more on the core and 10MHz more on the memory.
A cpu heatsink also cools well enough to allow volt mods, which take it much further than that.