PlayStation 3

Thermal paste

This repair requires fully stripping the console down to the motherboard and removing the heatsink. Static can damage exposed chips, so ground yourself first. Old paste can be rock hard; never pry the heatsink off with force, as you risk tearing a chip off the board.

Why the paste matters

Between the Cell and RSX chips and the heatsink sits a layer of thermal paste that carries heat away. Factory paste on a fat PS3 is many years old and has usually dried into a crumbly, insulating crust. Once it stops conducting, the chips overheat, which is the same heat that fatigues the solder and leads to YLOD. Replacing it is the single most valuable preventive job you can do.

What you need

A quality non-conductive thermal compound.
Isopropyl alcohol and lint-free cloths.
The correct screwdrivers for full teardown.

Disassemble to the board
Remove the shell, power supply, drives, and shielding to reach the motherboard.
Lift the heatsink
Undo the heatsink screws evenly and ease it off; warm the console briefly if the paste has glued it down.
Clean both surfaces
Wipe all old paste from the chips and heatsink base with alcohol until they are mirror clean.
Apply fresh compound
Place a thin, even layer on each die, then seat the heatsink straight down without sliding it.
Reassemble and test
Rebuild the console and confirm it runs noticeably cooler and quieter.

Pro tip

While the heatsink is off, clean the fan and fins too. Doing both in one teardown saves you opening the console twice.

cooling maintenance