If you feel compelled to monkey with the original design, before doing so, run it as it was shipped to establish a baseline. Write it down where you wont lose it. With this processor, at this speed, at this core voltage, running this stressing program, at this air or water temperature, I got ______________.
Then, when you start experimenting, whatever you choose to do, you will at least have a starting point to compare to. Don't solder anything unless you are going to use Silver Solder, like the kind HVAC professionals use for pressurized lines. Lead or Tin based solders, even those with a little silver in them are not as good at conducting heat as copper. If you use them to solder something in or on to the plate, you just added resistance to the flow of heat.
Experimenting can be fun and who knows, you might stumble onto something. When I did my pin based water block, I did not know whether it would be a good performer or not. I just had an idea and luckily, a block to work with. "Even a blind pig finds an occasional acorn."
Hoot
