15" MacBook Pro (SB) Thermal application/guide

[AppleMacFinder]

Thank you for your help! I have also contacted CoolLaboratory, and they said that
these two heat sinks are made from copper, and chips' cover is not aluminum,
so I can use their liquid metal as a TIM for CPU and GPU.

The only problem remaining that I don't know what the 3rd and 4th heat sinks are made of:
http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/fcEthvKik6FMxG6R.huge
http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/jXmoiCi3PESmiLyM.huge

So, what do you think, is it aluminum, or not?

 

[fr4c]

So, what do you think, is it aluminum, or not?

I did not replace the TP on those chips, but I believe "alphaod" did to his. Perhaps he can chime in soon on his thoughts?

 

[fr4c]

Running torture test in Prime95, temperatures hover around 88C with fans at around 5200rpm. Let me know if you guys want me to test anything else, or if you have questions. Will update this thread if I have something new.

 

[aibo82]

Wow this is so bad that people have to void there warranties to fix a new product!

I JUST HOPE Apple are not as bad a Sony finding out this has been done, as I had a Sony vaio and called a few laptop specialists and apparently Sony will do there up-most to get themselves out of upholding there warranty!

So I was told:

1. They stick the laptop under UV light to check for fingerprints were they should not be and moisture damage!
2. Check out screw heads for scratches or broken glue.
3. Water indicators.

Are apple as thorough as this?

 

[Transeau]

Wow this is so bad that people have to void there warranties to fix a new product!

I can't speak for anyone else, but here in California, our laws prevent a manufacture from voiding a warranty for something like this. The only way I could have warranty issues is if the problem is directly related to the cooling system.

 

[aibo82]

In the UK warranty at least with Sony and other manufactures doing this would deem it to be a "modification" so it would void the warranty I have not read apple terms in the UK on this or asked them!

Even so its catch 22 fix it yourself or keep replacing them with apple as I imagine apple never fix your laptop just replace it like the iphone then fix it later as refurbishment or replacement for other users!

 

[Transeau]

Here are a few shots of my "before". This is a BTO 15" 2.2Ghz with 8GB.
I cleaned the surfaces with ArctiClean, then applied Arctic Silver 5. My test was all 4 cores maxed out (8 threads) encoding a Bluray movie. Before was 98C after is 88C.

I'll report back after about 200 hours of use for a full curing cycle.

 

[aibo82]

Wow its got more thermal paste than an ugly women buying foundation!

 

[RainCityMacFan]

I think we need more "after" shots to show just the right amount to put.

I was always confused as to if the TIM (paste) should cover the entire chip or not, or just the center.

 

[Transeau]

I think we need more "after" shots to show just the right amount to put.

I was always confused as to if the TIM (paste) should cover the entire chip or not, or just the center.

Here is what you should ready BEFORE doing this... It gives very good detail on how to apply it correctly.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/ss/intel_app_method_surface_spread_v1.1.pdf

 

[aibo82]

Here is what you should ready BEFORE doing this... It gives very good detail on how to apply it correctly.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/ss/intel_app_method_surface_spread_v1.1.pdf

Ive always favoured the LINE METHOD when using thermal paste, just run a line of paste about a grain of rice thick across the cores of the cpu.

Sandybridge I imagine they run across the longest part of the cpu!

I just find spreading it will just spread out further off the chip were as line method spreads just to the edge! the tip is use as LITTLE as you can!

 

[Primetime89]

Any idea if this is likely to be fixed in production? I really want to buy a new 15" but this heat issue is making me want to sit back.

 

[namethisfile]

i was just curious, if anyone here, noticed that the 2011 15" MBP logic board is a lot busier than the previous model.

the mid-2010 logic board looks like a village:

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/1od1riLKYqR5mDDO.large

compared to the 2011 model which is like a metropolitan to me:

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/QWKKPpAh4AHJm1bf.large

 

[Tilezzzzz]

Hi,

I figured as this thread is already started I would just add my own pics. I have the New 15" 2011 I7 Macbook Pro.



And after a good clean....





I have put AS5 on them, No idea if its helped temperatures as dident have the macbook pro long enough before hand to really test.

It seems to idle in the 40's.

I also reapplied thermal grease to another chip which I spotted, not sure what the chip was though!, just had a small black metal square covering it. It is the chip on the top right of the pic above which you can see was also cleaned.

While I was at it I also changed the fans as one had a very very slightly noisier tone to the other, prob wouldn't have been noticed by most but would have bugged me forever! - didn't want the hassle of taking it back for a replacement as may get one with some other issue. At least the fan I can easily deal with.

And added an OCZ Vertex 2 240gb SSD. Needless to say the thing flys! And is pretty much silent!

 

[RainCityMacFan]

^ How much thermal paste did you put on your's?

 

[Tilezzzzz]

^ How much thermal paste did you put on your's?

I just used a very thin layer. so that it only just covers the chip.

 

[snouter]

The goal of thermal paste is to fill in the TINY air pockets between the otherwise bare metal surfaces which would obviously not be perfectly mated surfaces.

The paste's job is to fill in those imperfections, nothing more.

This concept will help you understand why you want to use as little as possible.

Too much paste insulates, which is why the temps are so high when you use too much paste.

You want a THIN EVEN application with no air pockets.

I had to reseat and test my i7 920 desktop 3 times until I got the low temps I was after.

 

[Prodo123]

^ How much thermal paste did you put on your's?

You want as thin as possible, but thick enough that it covers the microscopic grooves of the die. I applied such a thin layer that it was almost translucent, and that dropped the CPU temp a lot.

 

[Transeau]

Quick update on mine - after 12 hours, my idle is now 31~32C, down from 45~47C.

 

[snouter]

Quick update on mine - after 12 hours, my idle is now 31~32C, down from 45~47C.

looks like you nailed it... can you run handbrake for a couple of minutes and see what it gets up to?

thanks

 

[BJonson]

Wow. Just did mine. Was a little worried about that tiny ribbon. What does it control? I had to fight with it and want to make sure its in properly. Anyways. Idle temps went from 45c to 34c after cleaning and applying AS5.

 

[mulo]

i always wondered, how much do you tighten the screws?

 

[RainCityMacFan]

Thanks guys for the advice

One last newbie question:

So it's safe to assume that the idle temperature of these machines (if the paste is applied correctly) should be around 30º C? What temperature sensor are you looking at though? (CPU temperature? CPU Heatstink?)

 

[namethisfile]

another nooby observ here... what are those pill-shaped things on the logic board with a "+" sign on them?

i counted 24 of those on the 2011 mbp logic board, compared to only 14 on the mid-2010 mbp.

while i am at it, i am also curious about those grey-colored cubes right next to the cpu. user tilezzz has an "SCR" sticker on one of them. i counted 4 of those right next to the cpu on the 2011 mbp, compared to just 2 on the mid-2010.

i am just fascinated by these photos, btw.

any engineer care to answer?

 

[mike2732]

This thread has scared the crap out of me. I plan to get a 15" MBP base, should I hold out, or will this never be fixed? I'm definitely NOT going to be tearing down my MBP... What's the deal here? Should I wait?