[Sprinx]

I got my 40 GB fat PS3 from my friend after the blu-ray laser started failing when he was playing COD: MW2 back in 2009. He gave it to me to try to fix, and he bought a slim.

I've built dozens of PC's and disassembled/reassembled laptops many many times, so I had no problem replacing the laser after I figured out what the problem was and buying one off ebay. It has been running strong since. I even upgrade the HDD to 500 GB when they were cheaper.

Fast forward to 2011, when I decided to do some preventative maintenance. Hearing that many of the old models would fail due to heat issues, I decided to re-do the thermal paste. Up until this point, I had rarely heard the fan kick in at all. I've overclocked CPU's in PC's before and applied Arctic Silver 5 many times, so I figured it couldn't hurt.

Well, it did hurt. After cleaning the RSX and CPU and the heatsink with Arctic Clean, applying AS5, and re-assembling everything, the fan would kick up to top speed after playing a game for a few minutes. The air coming out the back is not hot, meaning that the heatsink is not working properly.

I have since disassembled and reassembled the PS3 over 15 times, trying MX-2, AS Ceramique, and AS5 again. I tried spreading with a credit card, I tried the X method, I tried the rice-width line down the center of the chip.

I had varying results, but inevitably the fan would kick up to 100% after a few minutes of MW3. It will not go back down until I quit the game and leave the PS3 at the menu for several minutes. I tried other games, such as the first Uncharted, and it still ramped up to 100%.

I realized that the heatsink and the chips were not making contact with much pressure. I tried bending the clamps, which works good for a while, but eventually the clamps return to their flat shape, reducing the pressure on the heatsink. I bought copper shims off of ebay and installed them yesterday. Here is where the situation gets even worse.

After installing the copper shims using MX-2, I reassemble everything and turn it on. Immediately, it's a yellow light and a beep followed by a blinking red light. Keep in mind I had never seen a yellow light in my life on this machine before. I was trying to prevent the YLOD. I tried multiple times, disconnecting the PSU and reconnecting, etc., but it would not boot.

I disassembled it again and took out the shims. i cleaned them all and then put it back together without the shims. BAM! Booted right up. I did not have a display attached, but i had a green light on the PS3 and i was able to sync my controller. I did this several times - on and off - no issues.

I then put the shims back in, reapplying MX-2. YLOD again. I took the PSU and blu-ray drive off and loosened the screws on the clamps about a half turn (they were tightened all the way down). I then reattached the PSU and blu-ray, and it seems like the 2-prong plug that comes out of the motherboard and goes into the bottom of the PSU was having trouble connecting. Or maybe I had flexed the motherboard too much? I'm not sure how much pressure the shims are adding.

Anyway, now it boots up without a problem. However, it still goes up to 100% after going into the MW3 game (not even starting a game).

I am at my wit's end. My only other option seems to be to remove the IHS on the chips and reapply paste there, but I can't see how that's the problem. There were absolutely no overheating problems at all before I initially removed the heatsink and reapplied thermal paste. In fact, the heatsink and the chips had a pretty good connection when I did that, and the paste still had moisture.

I had high hopes for the copper shims, as one of my problems was that the heat sink and the chips were not making good contact. I've ordered some more AS5 as I prefer the viscosity of that more than MX-2, and I'll try it again.

I'm pretty sure I would win a PS3 disassembly/reassembly contest. Sorry for the essay.
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TL:DR - did I possibly damage the motherboard by tightening the 4 clamp screws down all the way after installing the copper shims w/ MX-2? It doesn't seem like that problem could be fixed by loosening the screws, if I had damaged the solder.

Or is it possible that a bad connection with the PSU caused the yellow lights?

[Vampiror Nightstalker]

I had the same problem with my 40gb. I had too remove the ihs on both chips due the paste deteirating, I am guessing what you have is the same as me with age of the console.

Here is a link to a homemade tool to remove the CPU ish as its a pain in the arse to get off, All i can say is take your time if you wanna do it as one wrong move and its died!
http://forums.cvxgameconsolerepair.c...php?f=9&t=4833

As for the shims they will cause more problems than solve. I think they put to much pressure on the chips. I wouldnt use them if I was you.

[Sprinx]

The main reason I am hesitant to remove the IHS is that there were absolutely no problems with overheating until I tried to do my preventative maintenance.

I actually have a feeler gauge in the garage for doing the valves on my car.

I'll try one more time with the shims and AS5 (I'm getting a tube tomorrow). If that doesn't work, then I'll try to replace the thermal material under the IHS on both chips.

How do you glue the IHS back on after removing it? The AS5 will not keep it in place.

[Vampiror Nightstalker]

Mine was sort of the same no problems until i had replaced the paste. I had repaired a 60gb and had paste left over so decided to do the 40gb then a couple of days later it would kick upto full speed.

I think when i took off the clamps I disturbed the paste underneth some how.

The chips have lost contact with the ihs due to the paste deterating underneth so the heat doesn't dissipate properly and the machine thinks it overheating causing the fans to kick up.

Like yourself I had taken mine a part that maytimes to try and solve the problem. I only used the paste to hold the ihs inplace while i put it back together to check I had solved the problem and it had. I couldn't be bothered to take it back a part again to glue the ihs back down so have left it as is.

I did the gpu ihs first as I was told that it was normally that that caused the problem but with me it ended up being the cpu.

I would try the gpu first to see if that solves your problem and like i said before I wouldn't recommened using the shims.