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What is the safest way to remove the pad from a heatsink?

1. Use a razor to scrap the pad off the bottom of the HSF.
2. Remove the remaining residue w/ alcohol.
3. Clean the core w/ alcohol as well.

U r now ready to apply new thermal compound.
 
if you use a razor be careful not to scratch the HSF. I'd definitely go with the credit card, or possibly a fingernail
 
Just rip the mother f0cker off, and scrape it away, if you scratch the metal just smooth it out with sandpaper, you aren't gonna damage the heatsink, it's solid metal.
 
Paint thinner, cotton ball and toilet paper.

Rub paint thinner into pad with cotton ball until smeared everywhere. Wipe off with TP. Repeat the process with new cotton ball and TP until clean..
 
I used:
Razor blade to take off as much as I could, being careful not to scratch the heatsink, then mineral spirits (varsol). That bubble gum crap came off easily like that. Then I cleaned it again with isopropyl alcohol using a lint-free cloth to make sure there were no remaining undesirable particles,

The credit card idea seems good but who wants thermal goop on their CC? 😉

-Ice
 
Try some Goof Off followed by IPA. A warning about paint thinner or mineral spirits, they will leave a residue that can only be removed by lapping. It the pad has melted, you should lap your heatsink anyway. For more information on why, read Thermal Interface Basics.
 
I took mine off with an oxi acetalene torch. I got the largest rose bud I could find and cranked the flame up. Burnt it right off.
 
WD40 has the same problem as paint thinner or mineral spirits, it will permanently contaminate the thermal interface unless you lap it off/
 


<< I took mine off with an oxi acetalene torch. I got the largest rose bud I could find and cranked the flame up. Burnt it right off. >>



Yet you manage to misspell oxy-acetylene torch.
 
Read MrTompson's posts regarding paint thinner/WD-40 etc. He's right on. Artic Silver's site talks about this also.

I use acetone to soften it, then I scrape it off with a credit card, then clean up the residue with more acetone. Ready for ASII (or III now).
 


<< Read MrTompson's posts regarding paint thinner/WD-40 etc. He's right on. Artic Silver's site talks about this also.

I use acetone to soften it, then I scrape it off with a credit card, then clean up the residue with more acetone. Ready for ASII (or III now). >>




AS site is full of it. Using any solvent that dissolves the pad will result in residue since solubized pad will creep into microscopic gap. I used naphtha(just like paint thinner, but comes from lower b.p. petroleum fraction) and I don't have any problems. Smoothness isn't as important as flatness and ASII doesn't do anything to help with flatness.

If you want the absolute best, you need to have the heatsink lapped with a high precision machine such as the one used to make HDD platter, cleaned in vapor degreaser, then washed in HPLC grade toluene(not the hardware store stuff)
 
I used good old Break Cleaner. It melts all the goo off and then just hit it with some acetone to take off any of the resude. I got it to look just like it was new. Don't even need to use any force to take off any of the goop.
My 2 cents
Mike
 
Goo-Gone works very well, especially that fake lemon scent. Then 91% Isopropyl takes out the nasty petroleum stuff. Who cares if some of the thermal pad gunk gets into the crevices, all to the better in fact!
 


<< I used good old Break Cleaner. It melts all the goo off and then just hit it with some acetone to take off any of the resude. I got it to look just like it was new. Don't even need to use any force to take off any of the goop.
My 2 cents
Mike >>




If your brake cleaner doesn't say flammable, it's either 1,1,1-trichloroethane(low toxicity, very powerful, but bad for the ozone) or perchloroethylene(dry cleaning fluid. harmful and carcinogen, quite powerful, smells like a$$, safe for ozone). Obviously perc. is a ozone safe repl. for 1,1,1, TCE.

The flammable stuff is a mixture of various aromatic HC, aliphatic HC, ketones and alcohols.

 


<<

<< Read MrTompson's posts regarding paint thinner/WD-40 etc. He's right on. Artic Silver's site talks about this also.

I use acetone to soften it, then I scrape it off with a credit card, then clean up the residue with more acetone. Ready for ASII (or III now). >>




AS site is full of it. Using any solvent that dissolves the pad will result in residue since solubized pad will creep into microscopic gap. I used naphtha(just like paint thinner, but comes from lower b.p. petroleum fraction) and I don't have any problems. Smoothness isn't as important as flatness and ASII doesn't do anything to help with flatness.

If you want the absolute best, you need to have the heatsink lapped with a high precision machine such as the one used to make HDD platter, cleaned in vapor degreaser, then washed in HPLC grade toluene(not the hardware store stuff) >>



Or you can learn to live with running 2 C hotter... 😉

-Ice
 
So how much temperature increase does that come out to due to the inadvertant use of a little WD-40? Just curious, not that I would do that.
rolleye.gif
 


<< So how much temperature increasee does that come out to due to the inadvertant use of a little WD-40? Just curious, not that I would do that.
rolleye.gif
>>




I'd write off one or two degree as acceptable error of motherboard thermometer. You really can't tell such miniscule difference without a better setup.

You need a heater block with built in precision thermistor that is actually calibrated. Try it with two different heatsinks in very controlled environment. One with ASII after its been exposed to WD-40, the other one before exposure.

 
Wow jerboy, you actually sound like you know what you are talking about....

Also wow on the 25.8 post per day...makes you a platinum member pretty fast....


All that knowledge at 17 and yet you can't get an ecs mobo to work...LOL


I think you are all over killing it....

I have always been able to remove with an old credit card or figure nail and clean up with rubbing alcohol...

All this fight for 1 to 2c when it his highly unlikely the board can't measure that accurately anyways...

Funny post though...
 
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