Can WD40 cause a cpu to overheat/short circuit?

[mickrick]

I have an Athlon 64 4200 on an Asus An832-sli deluxe board with an Akasa DFB122512L HSF. I was spraying my case and cpu fans with WD40 two nights ago to eliminate noise. Soon after, my pc switched off without warning. It has done this ever since and nothing I have done seems to fix this.

I have Cool and Quiet/QFan enabled in my BIOS and the Asus monitoring software reports the cpu idling at ~50c steadily climbing to over 70c, into the red. Then after a few seconds the pc just switches off. Even at the BIOS screen it will switch off.

I removed the board/HSF/CPU today and the pin array of the cpu was wet with WD40. I cleaned the board and components clear of and residual WD40 but I am unsure how to clean the pin array. Is it possible the residual WD40 on the pin array is causing problems? If so, how do I clean this from the pin array and cpu socket?

 

[radnor]

Posting while in work, just did a double post. My reply is a bit down there.



But yeah, i think you fried the CPU.

 

[godless]

i'm sorry but this is the funniest and dumbest post i have read in a while

 

[MisterChef]

I'm pretty sure WD-40 conducts electricity which means your CPU is likely fried... Sorry bro...

You might could try something called QD Contact Cleaner to clean up the mess:

http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/content/prod_detail.aspx?PN=02130&S=Y

It's not safe for an energized circuit, however. Make sure your equipment is powered off and cooled down before you apply and make sure it's completely dry before you power back up.

After you've cleaned everything up then you can determine what's still working, if anything.

EDIT: After doing some Googling, I think I have to recant my statement about WD-40 being a conductor. Whatever the problem is, it's not because the CPU is being shorted out or anything like that.

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

Wow.

I'm torn between trying to be helpful or going for the funny joke.


First off, don't spray your computer with WD40. If your fan needs lubrication remove the fan and then spray. I'm not a WD40 expert, but one possibility is that the WD40 is coating the heatsink and not allowing air to run through the fins and dissapate the heat. When you reattach the heatsink be sure to clean any existing thermal compound and reapply new thermal compound between the CPU and the heatsink. And lastly, don't spray your computer with WD40.

 

[coldneutron]

the WD40 could cause capacitance between the cpu pins and the socket contacts. my suggestion (not tried or guaranteed to work): use 90% isopropyl alcohol (available at drugstore) or denatured ethyl alcohol (hardware store) to clean the socket. first, remove the mobo from case, then soak socket with alcohol, a sprayer might be good for this. turn mobo upside down to drain alcohol from socket. repeat several times. finally, thoroughly dry socket with a hair dryer before reassembly and use.

 

[tgmchuck]

I can only think of one thing, and its a long shot at best. And definatly not standard operating procedure. If you can find an electronics repair or hobby shop you should be able to get some denatured alcohol (electronics cleaner). it is a nonconductive evaporating alcohol based cleaner that doesn't leave residue.
You would need to rinse/soak the pin side of the cpu for a few minutes, then set it somewhere with good airflow to dry. For at least a day. 2 would be better. Same general idea with the socket, but beats me how you would do it without soaking the entire board.

Again, I don't actually recommend anything like this unless you know an electrical engineer that can help you. I have seen it save parts before, but I have also seen people finish ruining equipment trying similar methods.

Also note that denatured alcohol is nonconductive, but is flammable so no live power near it.

 

[MisterChef]

A can of compressed air might help dry out the tiny holes in cpu socket, too.

 

[maximiza]

aim for the dumpster, you might have to rebuild from scratch. sorry.
you can try a cleaner/degreeser like MG chemicals # 4050-1L. It can be used for semi's and passives.
or
Safety Wash Cleaner Degreaser 4050

 

[coldneutron]

I'm pretty sure WD-40 conducts electricity which means your CPU is likely fried... Sorry bro...

You might could try something called QD Contact Cleaner to clean up the mess:

http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/content/prod_detail.aspx?PN=02130&S=Y

It's not safe for an energized circuit, however. Make sure your equipment is powered off and cooled down before you apply and make sure it's completely dry before you power back up.

After you've cleaned everything up then you can determine what's still working, if anything.

WD40 is an insulator, it can be used to displace moisture from electrical contacts, etc. I fixed a mouse button that was giving multiple clicks with a single press of the button by spraying the switch with WD40. I would have used contact cleaner, but didn't have any.

 

[sailer]

Is it possible the residual WD40 on the pin array is causing problems? If so, how do I clean this from the pin array and cpu socket?

Yes, its very possible that the WD40 is allowing for shorts all over the place. I'd try cleaning the pins with a high grade isopropyl alcohol, along with the socket itself and anything else electrical that the WD40 might have gotten into, like the ram slots and any PCI and PCIe slots. If the WD40 penetrated into the CPU itself, it may have ruined it. Can't say for sure. Same with the motherboard. You may be able to save your computer, but you may have also junked it. Again, I can't say for sure. Someone else may have a better idea for cleaning the parts, but isopropyl alcohol is the only thing I can think of at the moment.

Occasionally someone or some hardware website does something like building a computer filled with vegetable oil or something else. Those are stunts and nothing else. If the hardware website ruins the computer, they can write it off on their taxes. For those of us in the public arena, a mistake can be very costly.

 

[closed_deal]

I don't think anything more constructive can be written down so soz, but this has made my day - lmfao 😀.

 

[radnor]

I used alot WD40 in fans, but i used in hypodermic sering to "fill" the back parts of fans. Right in the ball bearing. its a bit conductive from what i know. I have no idea how to clean it, because its a bit....well...greasy.

You might have burned your cpu mate.

 

[Vertigon]

Before you spray anything on it again remove the mobo/cpu from the cards, bake the cards seperately from the mobo/cpu combo at 60 degrees celcius for 1 hour. Bake the cpu/mobo at 40 degrees celcius for 1 hour. Let both cool down in ambient room temp to avoid condensation. Do it carefully and you will have a 80% of getting your computer running fine. Don't be such a tool next time.

WD stands for water displacement and WD40 is a petroleum based compound with tallow oil in it. If you can use compressed air carefully prior to baking do it, aim for less than 80 psi and be very carefull.

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

Before you spray anything on it again remove the mobo/cpu from the cards, bake the cards seperately from the mobo/cpu combo at 60 degrees celcius for 1 hour. Bake the cpu/mobo at 40 degrees celcius for 1 hour. Let both cool down in ambient room temp to avoid condensation. Do it carefully and you will have a 80% of getting your computer running fine. Don't be such a tool next time.

WD stands for water displacement and WD40 is a petroleum based compound with tallow oil in it. If you can use compressed air carefully prior to baking do it, aim for less than 80 psi and be very carefull.

Brutal. But hilarious!

 

[mickrick]

So the general consensus is that, yes, it can cause problems, it may or may not be repairable and I'm a tit, is that right?

 

[godless]

sounds right lol

 

[sailer]

So the general consensus is that, yes, it can cause problems, it may or may not be repairable and I'm a tit, is that right?

Yeah, but I'd bet that a lot of people here have made some big, bad mistakes in their days of learning about computers as well, including myself. OK, I never tried WD40 on anything electrical.

 

[spud]

I have an Athlon 64 4200 on an Asus An832-sli deluxe board with an Akasa DFB122512L HSF. I was spraying my case and cpu fans with WD40 two nights ago to eliminate noise. Soon after, my pc switched off without warning. It has done this ever since and nothing I have done seems to fix this.

I have Cool and Quiet/QFan enabled in my BIOS and the Asus monitoring software reports the cpu idling at ~50c steadily climbing to over 70c, into the red. Then after a few seconds the pc just switches off. Even at the BIOS screen it will switch off.

I removed the board/HSF/CPU today and the pin array of the cpu was wet with WD40. I cleaned the board and components clear of and residual WD40 but I am unsure how to clean the pin array. Is it possible the residual WD40 on the pin array is causing problems? If so, how do I clean this from the pin array and cpu socket?

For next time use 1234 as it doesn't conduct electricity, WD40 does sadly something the manufacturer of the product tends not to state. All in all use methol hydrate (alchohol) to clean up the mess the WD left and try again hopefully shes still got some spirit in her to fire up.

Word, Playa.

 

[godless]

Yeah, but I'd bet that a lot of people here have made some big, bad mistakes in their days of learning about computers as well, including myself. OK, I never tried WD40 on anything electrical.

isn't that the sad truth.

 

[MisterChef]

WD40 is an insulator, it can be used to displace moisture from electrical contacts, etc. I fixed a mouse button that was giving multiple clicks with a single press of the button by spraying the switch with WD40. I would have used contact cleaner, but didn't have any.

I stand corrected.

 

[maximiza]

silicone spray is best for non metallic surfaces.

 

[rubix_1011]

Try soaking your PC in a bathtub full of water+ laundry detergent to break down the WD40 and degrease it off.

OK...not really, that was a joke.

 

[DXRick]

The WD40 likely ruined the thermal paste between the HSF and CPU. So the CPU is over heating causing the mobo to shut down the computer. So your CPU may not be fried.

Try cleaning the WD40 off of the CPU and HSF and use new thermal paste to reseat the HSF. As for the CPU socket, you can let the WD40 evaporate. I doubt you can clean it safely. Hopefully the dried WD40 won't do anything.

Just in case, here are some other things you shouldn't do:

■Do not pick your nose with a carrot peeler!
■Do not stick metalic objects (like paper clips) into electrical outlets! 😱

 

[Lord Gornak]

I used alot WD40 in fans, but i used in hypodermic sering to "fill" the back parts of fans. Right in the ball bearing. its a bit conductive from what i know. I have no idea how to clean it, because its a bit....well...greasy.

You might have burned your cpu mate.

The best way I've found to lubricate fans is to use some of the oil that comes with hair clippers and the like, peel back the sticker covering the bearing access on the fan, put a single drop of oil directly into the hole, and then press the sticker back down. One drop is plenty of lubrication, and not enough to do damage to your system if the sticker does come loose.