# how necessary is lubricant between the processor and the heatsink?



## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

i just bought a http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Desktop...CDHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291503220&sr=8-1 
with intel dual core e5200 

He also included the fan which came separated from the processor. before screwing it on is it necessary to apply a form of lubricant between the surfaces? i don't have any.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

It's not a lubricant . . It is thermal transfer material and it is critical to the heat transfer. You can buy it at Radio Shack and most places that sell computer parts:

Artic Silver is good: http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

And what Rich means by critical is that you will overheat your cpu if the proper amount of TIM (Thermal Interface Material) is not present. It fills the microscopic gaps in the surfaces, so that there are no air bubbles between the cpu and the heat sink base. Air is an insulator, so without the paste, more heat is retained in the cpu, causing it to overheat.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

If the heatsink/fan wwas OEM it would have a thermal pad applied. If there is no thermal pad then it is absolutely positively necessary that the user applies thermal paste to the CPU before installing the heatsink/fan.
Any PC shop will have thermal paste.
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/howto_properly_apply_thermal_paste_and_install_cpu


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

there seems to be a pad already on top of the processor. do i apply the paste on top of that pad? or will i not need it since the thermal paste is under it? i attached two photos. one of the heatsink and one of the processor


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## MonsterMiata (Jan 5, 2010)

princeofnam said:


> there seems to be a pad already on top of the processor. do i apply the paste on top of that pad? or will i not need it since the thermal paste is under it? i attached two photos. one of the heatsink and one of the processor


Well before it was ok :laugh: Now you need to clean the old paste off and reapply new paste. As said before you can find it real easy at radioshack. A small pea sized dab is all you need. Less is more here.


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

aww. haha alright. I'm so cheap. Is there a certain way I should lean the old paste off? Rubbing alcohol? Just water?


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## hrlow2 (Oct 14, 2008)

Rubbing alcohol is what I always use.
Be sure to get ALL of the old stuff off.
When applying the new, don't use too much. Just a thin even layer.
Too much can be as bad as none at all.


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## Johnny1982 (Oct 15, 2010)

That is no pad! You need to remove the old thermal paste. I've said it many times but to run your pc like that it will overheat even worse than having no thermal grease at all. I did the same on my old pc and my games became extremely jerky and found out the CPU was running at 80c, because I took the heatsink off to clean it and didn't know about the thermal grease. So I cleaned it off didn't even reapply new grease (DON'T DO THAT, IT DOES HELP) and pc back to normal. I did a test on my overclocked e2160 and without Thermal grease at load the temp shot up to 70-80 within 30secs and so I stopped it. That test confirmed to me how important this stuff is.


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## hrlow2 (Oct 14, 2008)

About $4.00 at Radio Shack and 1 tube will do for a long time and lots of re-applications.
Probably more than you will ever need.


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

radioshack must have uped the prices because it's still 9.99 http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=thermal paste&origkw=thermal paste&sr=1

anyway i might be able to get a dab from IT at where i work. in the meantime if i want to test out my pc would it be okay to clean off the old paste and run my cpu with the heatsink for short periods of time ? like an hour? or would that possibly ruin my CPU? what if I had the heatsink screwed on and had another fan blowing right up against it to assist in cooling the CPU?


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

this is heat sink grease. is that the same as heatsink paste? http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102858

only 2.99!


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## hrlow2 (Oct 14, 2008)

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2216879

This is what I prefer.

And the price when I purchased my last tube was only $3.99.
Shows how long 1 tube does.
I still have more than 1/2 of it left.

And what you linked should do the job, but I'll stick with my favorite. Never let me down.


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

what is the best way to apply thermal paste? liberally? does it matter how much?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Follow the instructions here> http://www.arcticsilver.com/methods.html


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

so the most i have is an antiseptic toweette (benzalkonium chloride). no rubbing alcohol in my house. are there any alternatives?


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## princeofnam (May 30, 2009)

booya. Pre-moistened lens cleaning tissues to save the day.


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