EVGA CLC280 mounting issues with AM4

[bww794]

Posted this over on EVGA's forums as well but I figured the more lines I cast, the better chance of getting a bite.

I purchased this many months ago and installed it on a TR 1950X but promptly removed it as I wasn't happy with cooling performance since it didn't completely cover the dice under the heatspreader. Now I am building a computer for someone else and was going to use it since this build is just AM4 and I was probably never going to use the cooler. It was shipped with the AM4 standoffs and mounting bracket in the box so I didn't have to request them separately. The problem is, when following the instructions exactly, it doesn't fit properly. I removed the 2 plastic retention clips and , using the stock backplate for the motherboard, screwed the 4 standoffs specific to the AM4 application (they look very different than the rest) into the backplate's threads which stick through the 4 holes around the cpu socket. the problem is that the 4 female threaded posts of the backplate bottom out in the standoffs "cup" well before the standoff and backplate form a tight seal on the motherboard so what happens is the pump gets bolted down to the standoffs using the AM4 mounting bracket, but can then slip and slide all over the cpu's heatspreader because it can't tighten down firm because of all the play in the backplate. I just got off the phone with Matthew at EVGA who suggested going to store.asetek.com where i could find the part itself as well as the instructions, but I have all of the parts and i followed those instructions and it still a poor fit (thermals would be god awful if it didn't just shut down on it's own). The motherboard is an ASUS ROG Strix X470-F Gaming. Does anyone know what i might be doing wrong? Thanks!

 

[Johan45]

I have the same cooler here and there are two sets of AMD standoffs, one is AMD and the other says AM4 and they're shorter. As for it being loose when installed to the mobo the bracket always has some play even on Intel installations but should tighten up when you screw the pump down.

 

[bww794]

which standoffs in the image below do you use for AM4? (ASUS ROG Strix X470-F Gaming Mobo but it shouldnt matter)

 

[Johan45]

The ones on the far right that have the "cup" around the stud

 

[bww794]

and that's exactly what i tried using, but the raised pieces on the 4 corners of the backplate "bottom out" inside the cup and absolutely will not get any tighter.

 

[Blaylock]

Can you post a pic of what you are seeing?

 

[Johan45]

I just tried them on the prime Pro and they tighten up properly no play. Maybe the gaming-F is thinner? You could always cut some cardboard from a cereal box or similar as a spacer to take up some of the gap between the board and backplate

 

[bww794]

on the phone with EVGA again.... the rep laughed at the idea of using cereal box cardboard as a spacer. So far, everything they have described to me is exactly what i have been doing so they said worst case scenario, they could send me another hardware kit, but i mean... unless either this particular mobo is about 2mm thinner than the average mobo or there was a massive oopsie in the machining of the standoffs that happened to wind up in my box, i don't see how more hardware is going to fix anything. they actually suggested that i finish building the computer with it as is and see if it is enough contact to work. No. Absolutely not. At this point, I think I'm just going to use the stock cpu cooler.

EDIT: will post pics and a youtube video link tonight.

 

[Johan45]

I'll post some pics of mine in a sec
OK the backplate has this stamped on it. A18 182
and here's what it looks like with a standoff and one with just the plate post coming through the board.

 

[bww794]

awesome pics. I'll try to capture the same images tonight using the setup I'm building.

 

[Johan45]

Thanks, I've had practice and it's a sunny day
I'm still pretty certain that boxboard would work, laugh if you will but using the backplate as a template just fill the gap and it would get you the pressure on the CPU which you want.

EDIT: like I said my Intel boards the supplied bracket and posts aren't tight but it still clamps down pretty good. You don't want it so tight that you can't move the cooler around a bit.

 

[bww794]

Ok, so here's 2 videos. The first link is me demonstrating threading the standoffs in the AMD bag into my back plate which works fine and then attempting to thread in the AM4 standoffs which doesn't go so well. each standoff only makes a couple rotations before locking out making me think the thread pattern or diameter isn't the same? The second link is demonstrating exactly how much play the whole pump assembly has once completely installed. Installing the pump and tigtening down the screw caps does not resolve the slack between the backplate and motherboard. This amount of play along with the threading of the standoffs seeming to be out of wack seems to be way too extreme to still be within machining tolerances. Let me know what you think.

 

[Blaylock]

Yeah, something is wonky with that mounting kit. You said evga is sending a replacement?

 

[Zerileous]

At 17 seconds it looks like there is a burr on the thread of the standoff. Or maybe some stuck paint. Have you checked the threads, maybe something you can remove easily, maybe not. Either way looks like a possible manufacturing defect.

 

[trents]

Yes, but you wouldn't think there would be a burr or paint on all four standoffs. Johann45's idea of cutting a non conductive spacer to put between the backplate and the bottom of the motherboard may still be the easiest solution. Plastic or rubber washers would work too.

 

[Johan45]

I'm not sure after watching that video, the one I have here tightens right down tight to the board and in the vid there was a LOT of play but not any different than the Intel set-up on my APEX X it's really sloppy like that but works fine for cooling.
I am curious as to the stamping number on the backplate compared to the one I referenced earlier.

 

[bww794]

I didn't write it down but I did look and I know it's not the same number as yours. I'll look again tonight. Even if it "works", that level of quality/deisgn/workmanship - whatever you want to call it - is not up to my personal standards so if it's going to be one of those "it is what it is" type deals, I wont be using it in this build.

 

[Johan45]

I compared my plate and standoffs closely to your video and they look the same, I think that you may have some bad standoffs. I can tighten these down to the bare plate ~5-6 full turns and you're not getting that

 

[trents]

I'm guessing the female and male threads don't match of the two parts or that the threaded hole in the female part was not drilled or tapped deep enough.

 

[Blaylock]

Yeah, something is wonky with that mounting kit. You said evga is sending a replacement?