CPU Running WAY too hot. Please help troubleshooting

[guinness74]

I built this PC myself (my first one doing so) in 2011 with the following specs:

Case: NZXT Phantom
MB: Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 LGA 1155
CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K (NOT OC'ed)
GPU: HD Radeon 6970 (2GB 256-bit GDDR5)
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Boot Drive: Crucial M4 128GB SSD
Cooling: Antec h20 Kuhler 620 liquid cooling
PS: XFX P1 650X-CAH9 650W Power Supply

Even though I built this myself, I am definitely newbie when it comes to troubleshooting. I have not had much trouble with it until recently, when my Frame Rates for gaming really started to lag. I figured I would perhaps try my hand at OCing to get some more life out of the CPU. However, when I ran RealTemp & prime95, I saw the CPU was running at 98C!!!!!

Honestly, I am at a loss and hope I haven't been running it at that temp for a long time without noticing. Aside from the Antec liquid cooler, I also have the following cooling fans (so I thought I had ample cooling in the tower.

- 2 200mm top mounted fans (blowing out)
- 1 rear mounted 120mm fan (blowing out)
- 2 side mounted 120mm fans (blowing in to cool HDs)

Is it possible that my TIM needs to be replaced after 3 years? should I abandon my liquid cooling set up for a traditional heat sink fan? Please let me know some thoughts. I really don't want to ruin this thing!!!

Thanks a ton in advance!

 

[maxwellmelon]

try redo your thermal paste. after three years of gaming it prob should be redone. also check your cooling system to make sure pump is working it could have failed the temps will cause throttling of the cpu and therefore fps drops.