lapped my IHS on a Q6600 (pics and results)

[graysky]

Hmm, I think I have been convinced to lap my Q6600, even though the idea kinda makes me cringe.

You'll get over that once you start... at least I did. Also, you'll probably wanna do he base of your HS as well. If this is the first time you lapped anything, I would encourage you to do the base of the HS first; this is give you some practice and allow you to develop your technique. Also, if you do mess it up (which you won't), the replacement cost of a HS is much less than a Q6600

 

[Karnal]

That is what I was planning on doing anyways, as well as the HS for my vid card. Then the cpu. I feel safer that way.

 

[graysky]

I just edited/updated the first post of the thread with a few more pics and a brief description of how I lapped the chip for anyone interested.

 

[Maverick0984]

I hope my Q6600 doesn't require lapping, it scares me. I did lap my HS though.

 

[Surfrider77]

I lapped my TR 120 Ex this weekend. I couldnt bring myself to lap my E6850!

If the IHS is as concave as you suggest, I might give it a second thought though.

 

[orion456]

It's funny how the stock heat sinks for the Q6600 come with three big strips of goop on the bottom. Has anyone ever try using much more of the recommended AS5 to fill in the concave holes on the CPU heat shield? I would think that the recommended amount would be true for flat surfaces, but perhaps most of the improvement can be reduced just by using more.

I lapped a socket A HS and load temperatures dropped dramatically from 55c to 40c (Sempron 2500) but before doing that I had applied a lot of AS5 because I suspected a poorly matching surface. Just applying the extra AS5 improved the temperatures and I was never sure that if I had applied more things would have been better...though not as good as lapping.

----------

Give how poor the heat shield appears to be in terms of flatness, I wonder how much of the temperature differences between cores is caused by poor mating with TIM under the shield?

 

[graysky]

@Maverick0984 - don't be afraid to do it; if you did your HS you can do your IHS. The chip is about 10x easier to do than the HS for sure.

 

[Smoknum]

I lapped my E6850 right out of the package. I started with 320 and it took forever. The middle of the HS was higher than the outer edges, so it took awhile to get it even. In hindsight I should have tried it before lapping as it might have been straight. I dont have any temps to compare to but at 3.8ghz each core is around 41C at full orthos load. So who knows.

Chuck

 

[Vagabond102]

I gotta ask because I'm waiting for my stuff to come and I plan on lapping both, what are the chances of going through the IHS if someone went crazy?

I'm not bothered by anything other then the warranty voidance, just curious.

 

[jellysandwich]

u know wats sad? im not even scared to lap my hs/cpu, im just lazy.
no reason to open up the computer gg

 

[shirker]

I gotta ask because I'm waiting for my stuff to come and I plan on lapping both, what are the chances of going through the IHS if someone went crazy?

I'm not bothered by anything other then the warranty voidance, just curious.

as long as you aren't using a really low grit paper for along time, it's awfully hard to sand through the IHS. the stuff that really eats away the IHS materal is rough (<300 grit or so), and you're only supposed to use that at first to even out a really concave/convex IHS

 

[GTengineer]

I hope my Q6600 doesn't require lapping, it scares me. I did lap my HS though.

yeah it is really not such a big deal but I will not lap mine for 3 reasons:

1) voided warranty
2) crap resale value
3) it takes for EVER since the chip is so light

However when I lapped my 4300 and old Zalman 9500 I got 10C drops under load!

 

[graysky]

@GT

1) You're right
2) Is the resale values really that poor? I think people might wanna pay extra for a lapped chip. I know places are selling lapped Ultra-120 Ex's for more.
3) Yeah, about 1-2 hours depending.

 

[redwraith94]

Nice data spread.

What's Intel thinking making those IHS so concave on a 125W chip?

How the heck can you cool one decently with too thick of TIM in the hottest part of the chip?

I would assume that it is probably electroplated nickel, which would make the material thicker at the edges (sharp points lead to a higher voltage/potential so more material plates out there). I don't see them going to the trouble of electroless nickel for an IHS.

It is really just another case of a company producing a decent product, that just needs to be tweaked for certain purposes. I am not an intel fan, but the reality of it is perfectly reasonable.

 

[dfonda]

It's funny how the stock heat sinks for the Q6600 come with three big strips of goop on the bottom.

I thought thats the new technique for the Conroes? Its even important which way the paste lines go.

Page 4

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf

Anyway the goop spreads out evenly as far as I can tell. At least wise when I have popped the H/S off it all looks even.

Also to the OP nice thread!

 

[shirker]

graysky: 2) have you ever found lapped CPUs on ebay? probably the only place you could sell any lapped processor for a good price is on computer hardware forum like OCF. there's a fine line between computer enthusiast and your casual gamer/buyer; the latter will think a lapped chip is a broken piece of garbage. also, you don't really know what you just bought until you put it in your mobo and fire it up

 

[Audioaficionado]

I would assume that it is probably electroplated nickel, which would make the material thicker at the edges (sharp points lead to a higher voltage/potential so more material plates out there). I don't see them going to the trouble of electroless nickel for an IHS.

It is really just another case of a company producing a decent product, that just needs to be tweaked for certain purposes. I am not an intel fan, but the reality of it is perfectly reasonable.

It ain't the nickel plating or you would see the copper come up all at once after the nickel was ground off.

It's the copper IHS itself that's warped. Probably as a result of the metal form stamping process and/or the heating during the soldering on the die process.

 

[ToeKneeATX]

Hmm, I think I have been convinced to lap my Q6600, even though the idea kinda makes me cringe.

i am seriously considering this too, i have always lapped my heatsinks but have never done my cpu...

 

[GFORCE100]

Call me silly but what hole exactly does one need or should cover up in regards to lapping the IHS?

I don't see any hole on the S775 chips.

The part with the black markings where the black silicon is lacking?

Thanks,

 

[treatmentx]

Too bad I have a 680i... wouldn't improve clocking, just temps... still... i have the lap materials ready... soon as X38 hits....