Is it ok to use wheel bearing grease over thermal grease?

[RussianSoldier]

I was installing a couple processors and I ran out of thermal grease. Instead, I just used some standard wheel bearing grease. Was this an ok move? Or should I have used marine grease instead?

 

[Connoisseur]

.....WHEEL BEARING GREASE?!? Dude, correct me if i'm wrong but wheel bearing grease is meant to reduce friction between the bearings on a bicycle wheel. It's NOT meant to be an efficient heat transfer agent. That and last I checked, wheel bearing grease is a lot less viscous than thermal grease. An easy way to make a mess of the cpu and heatsink. Heh and I don't think it's meant to operate at the ridiculous heat level that cpu's output.... I'm voting for it being a sure way to deep fry cpu.

 

[RussianSoldier]

well grease is grease? Isn't it?

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: RussianSoldier
well grease is grease? Isn't it?

Nooooo!

 

[DrMrLordX]

Hahahahah funniest thread ever.

I'd like to know how those cpus function with . . . wheel bearing grease.

 

[RussianSoldier]

so far its fine, its running at only 65 C.

 

[Yanagi]

i KINDLY SUGGERST TO YOU TO ORDER NEW THERMAL GREASE AND PLEASE SHUT OFF YOUR COMPUTER AND WAIT FOR THE THERMAL GREASE TO ARRIVE

(SORRY CAPS TO LAZY)

 

[RussianSoldier]

would you suggest teflon grease otherwise?

 

[imported_SpitFire]

ONLY 65 C!!! Are you crazy, are you trying to fry the processor! I don't even want to know what its at under load.

 

[Blain]

Dan did a great comparison of thermal interface materials and even included some odd choices...
* No grease at all
* Plain white silicone grease
* Arctic Silver 3
* Arctic Alumina
* Cooler Master PTK-001
* Cooler Master HTK-001
* Nanotherm
* Toothpaste
* Vegemite

> HERE are the results
> THIS is the article

Looks like wheel bearing grease may not be too bad after all.

 

[LTC8K6]

Methinks this is a spoof, but maybe you could try bubble gum instead?

 

[Safeway]

You are ridiculous OP. Use that grease and watch your chip burn.

 

[sisooktom]

Why don't you just use kerosene?

 

[ThunderPC]

I personally prefer Crico. It is a lot thicker and easier to apply to a smal spot. Every time I try wheel bearing or marine grease, I get that runny, watery mess all over the place. Crisco kinda of smells neat like french fries when doing a burn in too.

 

[RussianSoldier]

HOLY SHIZNAT! I've found the secret to CPU cooling!!!





































Silly Putty!




From 65 C to 23!


I'm stripping off all my cpus and buying silly putty now!

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

wtf?

 

[ThunderPC]

The only time I ever used silly putty was when I had lugs broken off the ZIF socket. The silly putty is sticky enough to hold a light heatsink on. Unfortunately Crisco then makes it slip off.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: RussianSoldier
well grease is grease? Isn't it?

That's EXAXTLY why I keep telling people not to call it "thermal grease." It's not grease... it's not paste... it's called thermal compound. It's designed NOT to cure like a paste... and it's NOT designed to lubricate. It's designed to flow into microscopic pits to fill any air gaps and transfer heat more efficiently.

Hey... are you related to the guy who ran his processor without a heatsink and then had to ask if it was bad for it?

 

[glugglug]

I heard for the best results due to the airtight contact between heatsink and CPU, you should use a good thick layer of liquid styrofoam.

 

[JeffreyY]

I think he's just being silly to attract attention.

 

[RussianSoldier]

Originally posted by: JeffreyY
I think he's just being silly to attract attention.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

Well, what's funny is that one of the purposes of bearing grease is to transfer heat. So, even though the question seems ridiculous @ first, in reality the bearing grease would probably work fine for a short time. In fact, most bearing greases are designed to operate up to 100 C and many work even higher, so the CPU temp itself wouldn't be a problem.

The problem might occur if the oil separates from the base over time, and maybe drips out of all the little voids which would then leave air gaps. This would really make the heat transfer go to crap.

Funny idea though.

-D'oh!

 

[Frew]

Wow... You must not be loved.

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: SpitFire
ONLY 65 C!!! Are you crazy, are you trying to fry the processor! I don't even want to know what its at under load.

65C isn't all that hot. Sure, it's high, but nowhere near enough to kill the chip. I'd go out and get at least a packet of the cheap silicone paste though at the very least. Sure the bearing grease works for now, but I'd only use it for a temporary fix.

 

[MichaelZ]

Nooooooooooooooo x 2