920 too warm?

[cxdist]

Hi, I just recently built an i7 rig and i'm worried about the cpu temps.
right now i am running a 920 2.66, coolermaster v8 heatsink/fan with some shin-etsu thermal paste. I idle around 55-60C and when playing games I can hit 65-70C. This seems abnormally high. Did i do something wrong?

 

[flyin15sec]

Alot factors that can cause high temps. What is your ambient temps? What type of case you are using? Reseat CPU cooler?

 

[cxdist]

ambient temperatures are about 27C. I'm using a p182 case. The v8 seems sturdy and in place. I can get around 51C if i max speed the top fans in the case.

 

[Twoboxer]

Here's a cooler review showing performance of a bunch of coolers on an OC'd 920:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/core-i7-coolers-roundup_18.html

Your ambient is prolly 5-7 degrees higher than the benchmark, which may mean 50 would be good for you. Otherwise, your paste job is bad, the cooler is improperly installed, its fan is blowing in the wrong direction, or your case isn't moving enough air (test with case side off).

 

[mi1ez]

ambient temperatures are about 27C. I'm using a p182 case. The v8 seems sturdy and in place. I can get around 51C if i max speed the top fans in the case.

Given this information, I would say case airflow is the problem, not the CPU cooler. You'll just have to up the case fans a little.

 

[cxdist]

I rechecked the v8 to make sure it was tight in and reapplied a little thermal grease to see if it would improve. After a couple of hours of gaming stress, real temp hit around 85C. This was with the v8 at full and the top/rear on mid speed. Anyway to improve on that?

 

[g3force]

I rechecked the v8 to make sure it was tight in and reapplied a little thermal grease to see if it would improve. After a couple of hours of gaming stress, real temp hit around 85C. This was with the v8 at full and the top/rear on mid speed. Anyway to improve on that?

Did you clean off the contact area before reapplying the thermal paste?

 

[cxdist]

Did you clean off the contact area before reapplying the thermal paste?

Yes I did. and I am using a p182 case

 

[orangegator]

Case looks horrible for airflow

You must be blind.


@OP Try running with the side panel off and see what your temps are like. Adding a 120mm intake fan to the middle bay would probably help. Obviously, if running the fans at a higher speed lowers your temps, and you want lower temps, then that's what you should do.

 

[cxdist]

You must be blind.


@OP Try running with the side panel off and see what your temps are like. Adding a 120mm intake fan to the middle bay would probably help. Obviously, if running the fans at a higher speed lowers your temps, and you want lower temps, then that's what you should do.

I can't install a fan into the middle bay cause the gtx 260 is too big :/ With the side panel open it borders 50 staring at the desktop. I really can't figure out why it is getting so hot. I'm running it at stock settings. (57 right now just browsing the forums mid speed fans, v8 at full)

 

[one-shot]

I can't install a fan into the middle bay cause the gtx 260 is too big :/ With the side panel open it borders 50 staring at the desktop. I really can't figure out why it is getting so hot. I'm running it at stock settings. (57 right now just browsing the forums mid speed fans, v8 at full)

I have the same case, an Antec P182 and I have installed the middle fan. Also, I DO have a GTX 260 and it fits just fine. The fan goes behind the middle HD cage.

 

[Twoboxer]

. . . With the side panel open it borders 50 staring at the desktop. I really can't figure out why it is getting so hot. I'm running it at stock settings. (57 right now just browsing the forums mid speed fans, v8 at full)

Your 50 is my 44, since my ambient is 21 and yours is 27.

If you are getting 50 with the case open, how come you can't figure out why it gets too hot with the case closed lol?

YOU ARE NOT MOVING ENOUGH AIR OUT OF THE CASE when the case is closed!

Turning the cpu fan on high and the rear fan on medium doesn't move any more air OUT of the case.

 

[leo2kp]

You need to exhaust the hot air out of the case or else it will just recirculate hot air through the HSF. Make sure you have negative air-pressure using a powerful exhaust fan and a good intake fan.

If you want to know if it's negative or not, feel around the cracks or other vents to see if you feel air bing pulled in or pushed out. You want air to be pulled IN through vents and cracks or you will create pockets of hot air (lol, hot pockets). If you need to, use a light strip of paper or string to see how air is flowing.

Another thing to consider is the quality of fan. I recently bought some Manhattan fans for my parent's computer. Lifetime warranty, decent CFM, but the air wasn't being blowin straight out of the fan. It went more from the edge of the fan. My Cooler Master fans blow air straight from the fan blades and seem to do much better for pushing air across hard-drive surfaces and toward the HSF vs around the sides of the case. Just a thought.