Like many other users, and collectors, keeping you console clean its the number 1, priority, specialy when you own a Backwards-Compatible PlayStation3, which its a very neat machine to own, but can bring problems in the long run if not mantained properly.



One of the main concerns for any user, its replacing the thermal paste, after years of use, changing its essential for any console, but even thats not enough. So more experienced users, always remove the Integreated Heat-Spreaders from the RSX, which its a walk in the park, but when moving to the CELL Broadband Engine,its a different story.



Removing the CELL B/E, requires special tools, and cutting precision, but even more experienced users, and with the right tools, can go bad in a blink of an eye.



I myself, practiced with a couple of 90nm COK-002 boards, with some painters knifes size (1) and (3), but even with the most patience in the world, ended up scratching 5 examples, almost in the same spot.



So not worth taking a working board to have the same result,ive decided to search deep into some archives, and lord and behold, the solution that i am sure will work for anyone struggling with deliding the CELL B/E.



This procedure was preformed on a PlayStation3 CECHC04 with the mainboard COK-002,but it will work on the models mentioned below in this tutorial.



The goal with this tutorial, its for the CELL B/E Core to make contact with the IHS, as the paste inside its practically dry, with years of use, by making a bigger area of heat transfer, eliminating the need to delid the CELL B/E and take risks in damaging the whole system.



THINGS YOU WILL NEED:



*Office Eraser (White) - "soft erasers won´t work!"

*Knife or Scissors

*Good Pair of Eyes

*Patience

APPLICABLE MODELS:



*PHAT - CECHA/B/C/E/G/H/K/L/P

*SLIM - CECH-20XX/21XX/25XX



Side Note: Sony corrected this design flaw, with the preceding models (CECH-30XX and 40XX), so the CELL B/E is soldered to the IHS, pretty much like AMD CPUs, which gives them a thermal advantage and a good area of dissipation, so if you own one of these models, this tutorial will be pretty much usless, but you are always welcome to try!



STEP-1:



STEP-2:



Take your Office Eraser, and cut a piece of it, now for the PS3 Phat Models, the optimal measurements are between 3.3/3.5mm, and for the PS3 Slim Models 3mm of thickness, will get the job done.



Once you cut the exact same thickness, cut it to fill the CELL B/E empty CPU hole, with the mainboard facing up, you will need to be careful with the CPU capacitors on the Slim Models, so for that,cut the sides of the rubber to cover the smaller capacitors, and not the bigger ones. "CELL B/E Diagram for the Eraser cut, on the example below".



STEP-3:

Once you cut your eraser flat and to the right measurements, replace the thermal paste, and reassembly the whole system, making sure that the CPU Clamps are tight,as they will make pressure with the CELL and the heatsink!



Done these procedures, inspect your CELL Temps,if you notice any improvements, congratulations, you successfully did the procedure with ease, if you didnt notice any improvements, make sure you cut the erased properly or increase the thickness!



Q&A:



Q1 - Are any risks envolved, when doing this procedure?

Q2- Wont the eraser, by appling pressure with the clamps, on top of the CPU, damage the CELL or the BGA?

Q3- After the procedure, did you notice any changes in temps?

Q4- Wont the eraser catch fire or burn with the heat?

A4- Dont worry, the eraser wont catch fire, rest assured with that, its non-conductive and heat resistant,making the perfect candidate



Q5- Why this procedure wont work on CECH-30XX and CECH-40XX?