GPU gets hot with moderately demanding games? Only sometimes?

[ATZenith]

I made a thread here http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...to-help-me-out

but basically it's an old GTX660.

So this is a continuation. I cleaned my PC as best as I could. And then tried Overwatch and it seemed to help a lot. My temp was around 70-75ish if I recall. Now today I come back and try to play again and it gets too hot again. While it didn't get 90C+ instantly, it was around high 80s. Why such a drastic difference when nothing has really changed?

I also wasn't really able to clean the fan on my powersupply. Could that be why? I believe this could be the real problem. I used to play games and would not have any sort of problems. I believe my fan would come on sometimes, and not others. So it's possible I've had this problem for a while and never noticed.

[Deleted]

Try a custom fan setting, could just be your airflow in your computer that's generally awful

[ATZenith]

Try a custom fan setting, could just be your airflow in your computer that's generally awful

I took off the side panel just so it would stay cooler. So it doesn't really have any airflow I imagine. Though I've always had the side panel on until this point.

[Alexeht]

I read previous topic, and IMO you need to clean chip and give it new thermal paste.

[ATZenith]

I read previous topic, and IMO you need to clean chip and give it new thermal paste.

This will be next thing I do. I'll try to pickup thermal paste tomorrow and do it.

- - - Updated - - -

I just checked the CPU temp when play OW and the it stays at around 48ish. There wasn't any big jump. Does that still point towards being the heatsink?

EDIT: OH I just learned that the GPU also uses thermal paste too. I'm ignorant when it comes to computer tech

[Metallourlante]

Good, you will see replacing the thermal paste is not a big deal. Just buy some isopropyl alcohol to remove the old one (I used a old credit card and then some paper towels). If I may give you an advice, if it's the first time you apply thermal paste on something remember this "less is better than too much", good luck!

[Alexeht]

"less is better than too much", good luck!

Quite sure it do not apply to GPUs They need a quite more of it than CPUs (pea size amount)

[the boar]

This will be next thing I do. I'll try to pickup thermal paste tomorrow and do it.

- - - Updated - - -

I just checked the CPU temp when play OW and the it stays at around 48ish. There wasn't any big jump. Does that still point towards being the heatsink?

EDIT: OH I just learned that the GPU also uses thermal paste too. I'm ignorant when it comes to computer tech

haha yeah the 660 is quite old now and most default thermal compound degrades over time, if new compound doesn't solve the heat problems i will be very surprised!

i'm sure there are guides online for your specific make of 660, it is pretty easy just take your time, check everything twice, make sure you got all the screws, etc..

also taking the heatsink off the graphics card gives you a better opportunity to dust that off, as well as the card itself. a soft toothbrush has always served me well if you don't have an air compressor

[Twoddle]

Is the fan on the graphics card actually spinning? There are youtube guides on how to revive a seized up fan applying your own lubricant.

In my case I unscrewed the fan off the card but there was no way to take the fan apart to apply the lubricant so I simply injected a few drops of bicycle oil into the side gap of the fan through a straw and now it spins like a charm with no noise and I have a nice cool GPU.

[ATZenith]

Is the fan on the graphics card actually spinning? There are youtube guides on how to revive a seized up fan applying your own lubricant.

In my case I unscrewed the fan off the card but there was no way to take the fan apart to apply the lubricant so I simply injected a few drops of bicycle oil into the side gap of the fan through a straw and now it spins like a charm with no noise and I have a nice cool GPU.

It is spinning, though I'm not sure if it's spinning perfectly or properly.

[Thunderball]

That card is not hot at all if functioning properly. Everything had been said already: unscrew the radiator (dont unscrew each one all the way, first unscrew one to about half way, then do the same with the screw across from it, repeat with the other two, then repeat the whole process until the rad is off), dust it off, clean the fan blades (you might have to oil the fan if it makes abnormal noises while spinning, use silicon lubricant or synthetic motor oil), clean the old thermal compound using alcohol/acetone/nail polish remover (be careful with tha latter two, those can damage plastic parts is it spills), replace the thermal compound and finally assemble it back the same way you disassembled it. Dont forget to connect the fan header.