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Improving the Scythe Infinity CPU Heatsink for extreme cooling

Modding/Small Mods by enz660 @ 2007-05-08

In this guide you can follow the steps required to unleash the full cooling power of the large tower CPU heatsink from Scythe. The Infinity is fitted with custom motherboard mounting, 2x120mm fans and cool black shroud. Read on to find out how much performance one can extract from this CPU cooler by doing some ghetto style modifications.

Introduction & Reference Results

Introduction

In this article I’ll tell you how I extracted more cooling power from a Scythe Infinity, this large heat pipe cooler comes with a push pin S775 installation which I changed, the fins on the heatsink were modified to allow slightly different airflow path. Custom mount for 2x120mm and a shroud to guide the air over the whole of the Infinity should keep the CPU temperature lower than before. Let’s get started.

Those not familiar with the Scythe Infinity CPU cooler, here’s the beast of a heatsink:

Madshrimps (c)

58 large aluminum fins dissipate the heat from 5 heat pipes which are joined in a copper base.

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I installed the Infinity in its stock configuration with a Vantec Stealth 120mm fan rated at 53CFM; As you can see from the setup below, excellent cooling is a priority over silent computing (but not yet Vantec Tornado regions though)

Madshrimps (c)

I used Zalman’s “Super Thermal Grease” which gave me slightly better results than Arctic Silver 5. The first performance results were average at best, with an ambient temperature of ~20°C I registered to following maximum CPU temperatures with 2*Orthos stress test running and Intel TAT Monitor for CPU temp values.

Test Setup:
- Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
- Asus P5W DH Deluxe
- 2*1024Mb Patriot PC2-5300
- NVIDIA 7800GT
- Silverstone ST75F 750Watt PSU

E6600 @ 2.4Ghz (auto-vcore): 40°C

E6600 @ 3.6Ghz (1.53 vcore): 62°C

I’ve read some reports of mounting issues with the Scythe Infinity, the S775 push pin installation method is fine for the aluminum stock heatsink, but when you try to install a large tower heatsink like the Infinity the push pins don’t provide enough pressure to make to the most of the CPU cooling power available. I found this forum post at Xtremesystems which detailed a mounting modification for the Infinity with good results.

My first attempt used a custom bolt through mounting acquired through Jabtech.com with a set of screws and bolts from a local Ace Hardware stores. After getting the Infinity in place with the new mounting bracket results were disappointing, CPU temperatures were higher than the stock mounting clip… time for a different approach ->

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

What is the difference the thermal paste mess made?

Comment from jmke @ 2007/05/08

on the Infinity, minimal at best with slightly better contact between base and heatpipes, on the Tuniq more substantial as the heat pipes are soldered only to the top of the base not the top plate;

Comment from Sidney @ 2007/05/08

I assume using solder (silver solder) to fill the gaps will be easier and better heat transfer; good thinking on his part

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

I think it would be possible to insert the base in a mold and fill it with liquid tin so you end up with the heatpipes being inside a complete tin block

Comment from jmke @ 2007/05/08

that's the next step, good suggestion, solder would be more conductive than thermal goop?

Comment from Rutar @ 2007/05/08

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmke

that's the next step, good suggestion, solder would be more conductive than thermal goop?

at least, less messy and it wouldn't trap dust

Comment from Sidney @ 2007/05/08

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

I'd say silver solder
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/th...ity-d_429.html

Comment from Massman @ 2007/05/08

Awesome article

Comment from geoffrey @ 2007/05/08

Nice article (y)

Comment from wutske @ 2007/05/08

nice articles, but the thermal goop isnt' going to help the way you usu it. It only transfers heat when it's a very thin layer. The more goop you use, the less conductive it gets until you reach a point where you could say it start isolating rather than conducting ...

Comment from Tarantula @ 2007/05/10

I feel like it isn't exactly a fair comparison between the modded infinity and the unmodded one.

there should've been used 2 fans for the unmodded one as well

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