Lapping Questions

[Xtreme Gamer]

Well, here it is, I have a Q9450 running at 3.52 GHz at 1.264V according to CPU-z. I'm averaging about 60C across all four cores (each core is above or below 60C, but when all four are averaged together, I get 60C) under 100% load from four threads of Prime 95. I'm thinking about lapping the Zalman 9700 and the Q9450's IHS to try and lower temps. I was to try and squeeze 3.75 GHz to 3.9 GHz out of it. I know I still have some room on the voltages, both VCore and NB. I'm just worried about the temps as the thermal specification is around 71C I believe. Would lapping both help my temps? Also, I may try out Artic Silver Ceramique or another thermal paste instead of the stuff that came with the 9700, but first I'll just try a thinner, smoother application of the Zalman stuff. Anyways, what do you guys think about what I want to do?

Hi,

Honestly its not worth lapping your cpu cooler as you could make it worse, if at best 3-5 degrees can be saved and thats not worth the $70 for the cooler just for the possilbility of 250mhz faster cpu. Its not worth it

[DLS2008]

Artic Silver 5 FTW. I am very pleased with the results of lapping and AS5 on my CPU and cooler as well as my NB and SB. Stock the cpu idled around 58c and hit 65c under load. The cpu now idles at 30-38c depending on ambient temp and it never goes over 55c under load regardless of ambient. As for the NB and SB they dropped about 5-8c for both as far as I can tell, well at least I can hit 4GHz now where as I couldn't before. I usually just use 220->400->600, but have been known to go the extra 2 steps of 800 and 1000. Good luck if you try it and remember, don't blame us if it goes wrong, we're just trying to help. :thumbs-up:

 

I understand it's all in my hands, don't worry. But where do you get NB temps from?

 

well not sure how much the lapping worked on my pc but after i got my custom kit clocked at 3.7 ghz on my q9550,idle temps are 28 c,load temps wont exceed 42 c or so,drops down to 40 on load when running prime for hours,

 

on stock settings idle at 20 c and wont exceed 34 c on load.very happy with my results with lapping/and a custom water cooled kit instead of the thermalcrap

 

Yes, I saw your videos, I only wish I could have a setup like that. You should push the Q9550 higher than 3.7, I'm on 440 x 8 for 3.52, you have an 8.5 multiplier and can probably reach 450 FSB if not higher.

[rud3bwoy]

yea man i was messing with it since 3 to 2 am in the morning so far only stable at 3.71 lol,i can boot into windows but not stable with prime =/.....but the temps are freaking great bro

[damian]

Hi,

Honestly its not worth lapping your cpu cooler as you could make it worse, if at best 3-5 degrees can be saved and thats not worth the $70 for the cooler just for the possilbility of 250mhz faster cpu. Its not worth it

The only way you can damage your cpu heatsink with lapping is if you use a 2000grit or more. That is why you have to be patient when you lap your heatsink or processor. If you do a good job the drop in temperature will vary but should be more than 5C.

 

Personally I would rather have a 4GHz overclocked processor at 55C then 60C, or 52C rather than 60C

Edited November 20, 2008 by damian

[crazy8s846]

Well, first I don't have the money right now to go water cooling; however, I do have the time to lap. Second, how long is the warranty for? Ohh... darn it, for once I hate NewEgg. I just looked and the warranty is for 3 years, not one like I thought. If it was one, I would have gone and done this because I'm pushing 9 months with it already. Hmm... now I need to rethink this. If I remember correctly, Zalmans are know for being really flat and true most of the time, correct? I don't think there's a point in lapping the Zalman.

Yea i know how it is to not have the money, i just thought you would want to know about the warranty, in 3 years you never know might not need it but it would be nice, if after two and a half years you processor starts messing up to just be able to get a new one. Ive already had to RMA a E8400 after 9 months of use.

[DLS2008]

Yea, I'm thinking twice since I found out the warranty was 3 years instead of 1 like I thought. I figured one year warranty would leave me with like 2 or 3 months left by the time I would actually get around to doing this.

 

Damina, what do you mean by using a 200 grit or more could damage my IHS? Do you mean using 800 > 1200 > 1600 > 2000 is bad? Or do you mean using 2500 grit after 2000 grit is bad? I was thinking a quick pass on 800, then to 1200 or a little higher, then 2000, then 2500 finish, maybe even a 10000 paste finish. I'm not sure that I'm going to do this anymore, but if I did, would what I'm thinking work?

[damian]

Yea i know how it is to not have the money, i just thought you would want to know about the warranty, in 3 years you never know might not need it but it would be nice, if after two and a half years you processor starts messing up to just be able to get a new one. Ive already had to RMA a E8400 after 9 months of use.

Then just don't lap the processor , lap the heatsink.

 

At DLS - If you lap your heatsink or processor to much it will eventually damage the IHS. That is why you have to be sure that you dont go overboard using high grits os sand paper (water resistant sand paper is needed). I have only used up yo 1600 so I mean this in a general way, dont go overboard and start sanding like there is no tomorrow.

Edited November 20, 2008 by damian

[Verran]

If you lap your heatsink or processor to much it will eventually damage the IHS.

Can you elaborate on this?

 

I don't see how using higher grit paper will 'damage' the surface. Many people will say that going higher than 1200-1600 is probably not that beneficial, and I would tend to agree, but I've never heard of damage being done. You could damage it by sanding off too much of the surface, but it's highly unlikely you'd remove that much with such high grain paper. You're much more likely to do that kind of damage with lower grit papers, but even then you'd pretty much have to sand until your arm fell off to do that, unless you start with 60 grit or something

[damian]

Doh! I confused the low and high grits of paper.

So on that note: What you said about sanding to much of the surface, that's what i was trying to get at. Not so much as sanding it that it cracked but enough to "damage"

While this has never happened to me it was just a precaution I read in an article.

Edited November 20, 2008 by damian

[Verran]

Doh! I confused the low and high grits of paper.

So on that note: What you said about sanding to much of the surface, that's what i was trying to get at. Not so much as sanding it that it cracked but enough to "damage"

While this has never happened to me it was just a precaution I read in an article.

Ah, I see. On most decent heatsinks, I think sanding so much to do damage would be extraordinarily rare, but it's something to keep in mind. My first lapping started with sandpaper that was WAY too rough (don't remember the grit) and I ended up having large gouges in the contact surface that took me forever to get out. That's definitely something to avoid. Starting at 400 or 600 might take longer to flatten the surface if it's particularly uneven, but it'll lower the risk of this sort of complication.

 

For the record, I lap pretty much everything these days. I'm not even that hard-core into OCing anymore (old and lazy, maybe ), but I still think it's worth it. Even at stock speeds, lower temps are always good. I lapped my TRUE heatsink and my Q6600 IHS and it made a significant difference. Both of them were very not flat.

 

It's a pretty easy "mod" if you're patient. Trying to rush it is the easiest way to screw it up. Lapping the heatsink is pretty much a no-brainer IMO. It's very hard to mess up. Lapping the processor IHS is more risky (due to it being more expensive to replace and also more sensitive and easy to damage), but still not bad. I was worried about static-shocking my proc when I lapped it, so I put on a wrist strap and connected it to my case near me. Then I plugged in the PSU in the case and switched it to off. That way there was no power flowing, but the case (and therefore my wrist strap) had a true ground connection. That was maybe a bit paranoid, but wasn't a major inconvenience.

 

I say lap the heatsink, and if it goes well for you, consider the IHS too.

[DLS2008]

Well, if I do decide to lap the IHS would a good order of sandpaper be 400 > 800 > 1200 > 1500 > 2000?

[OwinC]

There is no need to use 2000 grit paper. Unless you plan on having a mirror facing your heatsink:). But yes that order of paper would do.