Proper way to clean large CPU heatsink

[LittleNemoNES]

I have a scythe inifinity and it has gotten dusty. To clean it I dipped the whole thing in hot soapy water and also spray it with degreaser...

Is this ok? Cos my CPU is no longer able to sustain my 3.5 ghz temps anymore...

BTW I did this about 2 weeks ago.

Anyway, just wondering what the best procedure is and if I maybe busted my heatsink by doing this to it

 

[MotF Bane]

..........

Can of cold compressed air, it's the best for everything pretty much. I definitely wouldn't have used the degreaser. Hopefully the compressed air can do enough, if it doesn't, get distilled water and heat it, then soak it in that. Should help clean it up some more, especially if that degreaser left a residue.

 

[Modelworks]

I always blow them out with a air compressor in the garage.
Careful blowing out fans this way though, you can actually spin one up so fast that it comes off the bearings

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: [b1]Modelworks[/b]
I always blow them out with a air compressor in the garage... you can actually spin one up so fast that it comes off the bearings

I've actually tried, for years, to destroy fans & bearings doing this...

What's the trick?

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: gersson
I have a scythe inifinity and it has gotten dusty. To clean it I dipped the whole thing in hot soapy water and also spray it with degreaser...

Um...

Never tried that one before...

Better take that puppy apart, clean the surfaces with paint thinner (100% mineral spirits), alcohol -- anything but water and degreaser -- and reapply fresh thermal compound -- preferably AC MX-1.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Use those things that don't leave a residue. Any residue will just gum up with more dirt. What sort of "degreaser" did you use?

if you can't sustain your previous over-clock, check the temperatures again and see if something is awry with the mounting.

All of these heatpipe coolers have delicately soldered mountings between the pipes and the base. Be gentle.

 

[SinfulWeeper]

1: Take off the fan and any plastic on it.
2: With a can of compressed air take off as much dust or other gunk off it as the air possibly can.
3: Get a tall skinny glass jar wide enough for your heatsink and fill it about 2/3 of the way with acetone
4: Place heatsink in jar and cap it.
5: Swirl the acetone inside getting off and residual dust or gunk that is left on there.
6: Remove from jar and give it the can of blow job (compressed air) to take off any clots of gunk that might have formed.
7: Start over from #3 if necessary.
8: Enjoy the benefits of a near new heatsink again.

Other factors include getting all the old thermal compound off of your heatsink base and CPU. You might have to replace the fan on your heatsink. If you use a 120mm fan, I recommend a enermax enobal fan. Been using those for a while now and have 0 complaints. Also if the fan blades get dirty, you can remove the fan blade from the fan housing with no damage.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: SinfulWeeper
1: Take off the fan and any plastic on it.
2: With a can of compressed air take off as much dust or other gunk off it as the air possibly can.
3: Get a tall skinny glass jar wide enough for your heatsink and fill it about 2/3 of the way with acetone
4: Place heatsink in jar and cap it.
5: Swirl the acetone inside getting off and residual dust or gunk that is left on there.
6: Remove from jar and give it the can of blow job (compressed air) to take off any clots of gunk that might have formed.
7: Start over from #3 if necessary.
8: Enjoy the benefits of a near new heatsink again.

Other factors include getting all the old thermal compound off of your heatsink base and CPU. You might have to replace the fan on your heatsink. If you use a 120mm fan, I recommend a enermax enobal fan. Been using those for a while now and have 0 complaints. Also if the fan blades get dirty, you can remove the fan blade from the fan housing with no damage.

hmm a load of acetone, eh?

BTW, it LOOKS clean and seems new. what can it be?

(Sorry I had forgotten I created this topc lol)