Fan/Heat Sink Replacement for Pavilion dv6

[HP-User22]

I have a HP Pavilion dv6t-6c00 laptop. The fan has been making a loud noise similar to an old car's engine and my laptop gets hot, especially in the areas near the fan. The air coming out of the vents is also very hot. I used compressed air to get rid of the dust and even opened my laptop to clean the fan but to no avail. Sometimes when I turn on my laptop I receive an error that a cooling fan is not functioning properly and continuing to use may cause damage to my computer. I have decided to replace the fan/heat sink assembly but would like to make sure I apply the thermal material correctly. Here are the instructions given in the maintenance and service guide for my laptop, for which I need some clarification:

1) Thermal paste is used on the processor and the heat sink section that services it: so I basically clean the old thermal paste on the CPU using 70% isopropyl alcohol and q-tip (or an alcohol pad) as well as cleaning the new heat sink? Then I apply a little thermal paste on the center of the CPU using the pea method. Is there any preferance as to what thermal paste I use or I can simply use the one supplied with fan/heat sink?

2) Thermal pad is used on the graphics subsystem chip and the Northbridge chip and the heat sink sections servicing them: I believe the chips already have thermal pad on them. Do I need to replace these? Also, are thermal pads already attached to the heat sink sections or do I need to attach one to each using an adhesive?

I would appreciate it if someone could clarify/explain this for me. Thanks in advance.

[Huffer]

It will be obvious when you get in there. Just clean and reuse the old thermal pads. I like Arctic Silver thermal paste but I recall a study done by one of the computer magazines a few years back which proved that all thermal compounds basically perform the same as long as you apply a thin coat. The pea or b-b method is correct. More is definitely not better. 

[HP-User22]

I purchased the fan/heat sink from eBay (spare part number 665308-001) since HP didn't have it. I assumed it comes with the thermal paste but it didn't. When I asked the seller for it he told me that the grease is already applied on the heat sink and other necessary parts of the shipped item since the item is the original HP. Therefore I don't need to apply any grease (i.e. the fan/heat sink is ready to be replaced as shipped) and only need to clean the old grease on the CPU. Is this true? Please confirm.

[Huffer]

No that is a crock. Any time metal is touching metal on a processor/heatsink interface you need cooling compound. But I generally do not expect to get cooling compound when I buy a used fan/heatsink. It is something a computer tech just has in his or her kit. You can pick up little packages of compound that look like tiny ketchup packs at most office stores or any computer store such as Frys or Best Buy. Make sure you clean the metal surfaces well and apply the B-B dot of cooling compound. Foam rubber cooling pads over the video or auxiliary chips generally do not need cooling compound. Only where metal touches metal. 

[HP-User22]

Thanks for this. That's what I thought but the seller was trying to persuade me with some pictures, apparently referring to the gray material shown below as thermal paste/grease, and that putting more grease would impact the cooling effect.

[Huffer]

The pictures have not cleared the censors yet but the old gray material is the used compound. No tech worth his or her salt would just reuse the old compound. Always apply new. 

[Jack-Daniel]

On the edge heat sink is a small grey rubber like substance what is that made o f and can it be replaced what is its purpose it looks like a much softer material than rubber like some form of tehrmal rubber. I own a HP pavilion DV6 616us and am wondering how to replace the little rubber like substand on the very end of the heat sink lik a rubberized thermal pad of some sort.

[Huffer]

It is not to be replaced but reused. If it is damaged beyond reuse what I do is scrape it away and then use a copper shim in its place because you need something with an equivalent thickness. You can find little squares of copper material online or if you are good with tools you can even pound out a penny to the right thickness and use material from it cut to shape. Now with the copper shim you do have metal on metal so you should use cooling compound.