heatsink fan suck or blow?

I have an athlon 2500+ running at 3200+.
Temps had been around 50*c under load during the first week of testing, but I happened to check the other day and saw I was at 59*c!

So I'm at a loss.. I had some crappy thermal paste in there (it came with retail athlot fan & heatsink) because I couldn't find my arctic ceramique at the time I was putting it together.
I have since found the arctic ceramique, so after this heat spike, I pulled the HS out (a big copper fin thermaltake or thermalright, whatever it is called) and put in the good thermal paste. Haven't noticed a change at all.

I was running .8v with the overclock, so I have temporarily turned it back down to .65v and the stock speed until I get this sorted out.

One thing I'm not sure of, is if the fan should be sucking air away from the heatsink, or blowing it into the heatsink. Is there a general concensus here, or should I just try and see? The clips for my fan are a PITA, so I would rather not change it if someone else has already done the testing
My fan currently sucks air away from the heatsink.

Thanks!
Adrian

The heatsink fan should be blowing down onto the heatsink, not sucking air through it. At least, that's what I think the general consensus is.

~THT

i think most people would say that you should have it blowing onto the HS. Also, make sure you didnt put too much TIM on, that can cause heat problems too. Im sure other people who know alot more than me will be able to give more advice, but this is just my $.02

I am of the belief that a fan blowing onto the HS is the best way. There is more air velocity and pressure this way than with it sucking air over the HS. So your temps will drop a bit. They will drop even more so if you but a duct inbetween the HS and fan, thus removing the dead spot.

Most HS's have the fan blowing air into the HS. THE FANMAN