Re-Flow/Re-Ball services needed

**gurry** · 26th December 2011

Hey all,

After someone to do a re-flow/re-ball or whatever the latest fix is.

I have a mates PS3 here it has had work done on it before so I'm not sure if it is about to die for good......

About 18months ago it was "oven baked" due to overheating, by a "professional firm", to try and solve an overheating issue. It has had the HDD replaced and recently it has been in to "have the fan modded" so that it runs at full speed at all times. This has'nt worked as it runs for about 30 mins before finally failing. The fan mod was to put a variable resistor in line with the fan but it appears to do nothing(I need to investigate further). There was way too much paste on the heat spreaders which I have removed and cleaned up. I also noticed a lot of corrosion on various parts of the board....

I am assuming it is knackered but thought I'd ask if there is someone who can have a go at a reasonable price as I don't have the equipment to do it.

**ilscuro** · 26th December 2011

I definitely recommend DF member Herman, he's doing a few of mine, top bloke he is too.

**Mario87** · 26th December 2011

If you send it over mate I'll take a look at it and can reball it if needed. However if it works, then shuts down from overheating it will not be needing a reball or reflow, they are only needed for YLoD and very occasionally can also resolve GLoD (but that usually requires a new GPU). If it's overheating then 99.9% it will be the thermal paste under the CPU IHS that has dried out (very common), only problem with the CPU IHS, is that unlike the GPU IHS it can be difficult to remove safely. The IHS is siliconed onto the CPU, so a steady hand and a very sharp razor blade are needed to lift it, but even then a small slip and the CPU is good as dead, which also means the entire console is good as dead...

However if it turns on and works for 30 mins before turning off and giving a flashing red light (overheating) then it does not need a reball or reflow, it needs the thermal paste replaced with some MX2 under & above both heat spreaders. Oh, and that reminds me, do not use Arctic Silver 5 on PS3's, while is is good at what it does, it spreads like clay and does not make good contact between the heatspreaders & the heatsink. MX-2 is just as good, but works a million times better on PS3's due to the fact it spreads a lot better.

**gurry** · 26th December 2011

Thanks mate.

I had a feeling you might say something like that.

Looks like I'll be taking the heat sinks off the chips then.... Never gone that far before..... Must do it after the festivities so I have a steady hand.

I'll hold off on the re-flow for now and see what I can do.

Thanks for the valuable advice.

**Mario87** · 27th December 2011

No probs, the GPU IHS is very easy to remove, I heat up the entire board to approx 100*C, then pop a blunt instrument under the side facing the CPU and simply lift it to pop off the IHS on the GPU. ONLY use the side next to the CPU when removing the GPU IHS, it is the only clear side, the other 3 all have SMD capacitors which could easily be damaged.

As for removing the CPU IHS, best advice I can give is watch these 2 YouTube vids....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZ0P...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw8vSfoV7VI

Personally I use a single edged razor blade in a holder like shown in the first vid. Remember to cut ALL THE WAY ROUND! On practice boards I used, if I only cut 3 edges there was a 50/50 chance of totally destroying the CPU as I pulled up the other edge, either it would come off cleanly or it would take part of the CPU with it!! Same applies to the GPU, ALWAYS heat it up!! Otherwise there is a 50/50 chance you will pull off 1 or more of the RAM chips (the 4 RAM chips of the GPU are located directly on the die, in the 4 corners).

Pictures of what happens if you don't use heat (a guy brought this to me after he fucked it and I ended up having to replace the GPU to bring it back to life, just remember the CPU it married to the NAND, like XBOX, so if you damage it your fucked)...

Just for reference, a pic of what the CPU should look like without the IHS....

**gurry** · 27th December 2011

Thanks HermaN.

One more question. After you have got the Heat Sink off and cleaned up the paste. What do you use to glue it back on??

Obviously the MX-2 on the die but what about the stuff round the edge. Can it be any silicone based adhesive?? or is not required(i.e just use the pressure from the spring clips to hold it in place)

**Mario87** · 28th December 2011

You can use Arctic Silver Alumina Thermal Adheisive, I use it on the GPU IHS all the time, or you can just let the pressure of the heatsink hold it in place, either works perfectly fine TBH.

**gurry** · 28th December 2011

Thanks again HermaN. Does the same principle apply to the CPU as well. Just use the pressure of the heat sink???

**Mario87** · 28th December 2011

Yup, works for both CPU and GPU, the heatsink will hold them in place just fine, but it is better to use thermal adhesive on the GPU because it help to dissipate heat from the 4 RAM bricks. However some people just put a bit of normal thermal paste on the RAM bricks. It does work, but I prefer to use the thermal adhesive.

For the CPU, as long as the IHS is making contact with the CPU die and also making good contact with the heatsink it will work fine. Thermal adhesive is just nice to have to hold it in place, but not needed though.

**gurry** · 6th January 2012

An update to this thread and a big thanks to HermaN. Your advice was 100% spot on.

I used a razor scraper to remove the CPU spreader and got the dried gunk off re-pasted with MX-2 and re-installed and hey presto better than new..... The fan is now silent. In fact I actually thought i had forgotten to re-connect it as I could not hear it at all. I also found that the GPU spreader had been removed before which made the job of cleaning up and re-pasting much easier.

Thanks again HermaN

**Mario87** · 6th January 2012

No probs mate, glad it's sorted now. Like I said, a common problem, especially on a board that has already been reflowed/reballed like your was.

**akimba** · 6th June 2012

Hi herman

I got a YLOD console but taking the chips apart is a bit too advanced for me, I have replaced the thermal paste and added some copper shims but still YLOD, any chance I could send to you to fix? obviously I would cover cost etc?

Also I have another one (while I am here) that did have the red screen of death, but tried formatting the hard drive and took it a part etc now it boots and nothing is shown on the screen at all and it turns itself off again, any ideas?

Thanks

**braymond** · 9th October 2012

Ah - I see now ! Got the gpu one off no prob but CPU one is a fucker . Scratching round my tool box for something suitable !

Cheers

**gurry** · 9th October 2012

Your best bet is a razor scarper. The blade on mine is 0.2mm thick. Work round all the edges slowly but with a fair amount of pressure. You think your going to do a lot of damage but keep the blade as flat as you can and you should be fine.