AR02 adjusting the bolts attaching the cooler to CPU

[charlie1939]

I have a Silverstone AR02 heat pipe cooler that doesn't cool very effectively. Cpu runnig at stock conditions and not overclocked overheats and shuts down the machine.

The problem is, I think, caused by how the two screws, which secure the cooler to the bracket mounted to the mobo, are tightened. There is no guidance in the instruction sheet (written in micro type) as to how to know when the cooler is properly secured. There are no stops or other indicator of whether the screws are too tight or to loose. So I am asking for any suggestions as to how to properly adjust the screws.

So far, I have twice removed the cooler, cleaned the two mating surfaces and replaced the Arctic Ceramique paste while trying to evenly tighten the screws to keep the cooler parallel to the Athlon X2 3600+ 65 watt CPU.

Any help would be appreciated! I imagine that other heat pipe coolers have similar issues and what works for them might be of help to me...

 

[Brantyn Gerik]

suggestion is to tighten them. it takes quite a bit of force to crack or damage the motherboard by the compression force alone. Make sure to tighten in cross pattern and very little increments on each.

thermal paste application is also important. the x method is good for most applications (just dont use too much)

 

[charlie1939]

suggestion is to tighten them. it takes quite a bit of force to crack or damage the motherboard by the compression force alone. Make sure to tighten in cross pattern and very little increments on each.

thermal paste application is also important. the x method is good for most applications (just dont use too much)

Thanks a bunch for your interest. It's worth a shot to snug the screws up, I am still not too sure how much force to exert on the mobo. I'll try re-tighting the screws a 1/2 turn at a time and see if that helps. I did an experiment to see if I had tilted the cooler by tightening one side and loosening the other by 1/4 turns. Results were inconclusive...

FYI, I bought the computer used and when I first fired it up, it overheated with the stock cooler. So I figured that a more effective aftermarket cooler might be a solution, but the problem remains when I try to use a stressing program to get the cores to 100%. Then in about 2 minutes, the temperature is up to 85 deg C. It does cool off after 10-15 minutes at idle (2%).

 

[Brantyn Gerik]

btw that cooler does kinda suck though lol