CPU overheatting?

[UmneyDurak]

Recently I installed VGA Silencer rev 3. and SLK900A, with 92 mm Zalman Fan.
Result MB temperatures went up by 2-3 degrees. The CPU temp are 50-52 idle, 55-57 full load.
Last time I ran Prime 95 it hit 55/36. I tried reinstalling SLK 3 times, with no effect on temp. Reinstalled the Silencer 2 times. Whats going on? Do I just suck this bad at installing HS, or are the temperatures readings wrong?
First time I installed SLK, I just put a bit of AS5 in the middle.
Second time I spread it over the core, a bit thick.
Third time, I spread it as thinly as possible.

Silencer.
First time. Spread it a bit thick, and tighten the screws very tight.
Second time. Spread the AS5 pretty thin and tightened the screws more.

I'm using ASUS A7m266 MB with 1008.02b bios, and XP2400+ CPU.
Video card is: 9800 Pro.

In all fareness with stock Heat sinks, when I ran prime 95 it was heating 63/36 temps.
Running Prime 95 right now, temps are 59/39. Were about 52/39 few minutes ago before I started running P95.
I know that air flow in my case really sucks. When I remove the pannel that covers an empty bay (where a cd rom can be installed for example). I feel the air being sucked in to my computer.
I have a fan at the bottom front sucking air in. I have a fan at the back blowing air out. Plus a fan in PS blowing air out. VGA Silencer is kinda blowing air out too, but not much.
Can air flow make that much of a difference?

Edit: P.S. I ran MBM5 and it does confirm, ASUS PC Probe readdings.
Thx.

 

[UptheMiddle]

To see the how air flow impacts your CPU temp, take off the side panel on your case. When you do that, what temperatures do you get? I'm by no means an expert, but that should give you a fairly good indicator of what unrestricted airflow can do for you.....if there's a drastic difference, then perhaps your answer is to improve that condition (a situation I currently face, too!)

 

[caz67]

Airflow is the most important thing in keeping CPU etc cool. Check the ambient temps of your case with the side off, you will find in most cases that you will drop about 5-10C.

 

[Nickel020]

Which way did you install the fan on the heatsink? The fan should be blowing air through the heatsink, not sucking air out of it.