MSI 16L3 / Eurocom Tornado F5 - can't remove CPU heatsink

Hi guys, I need to replace WiFi card in my MSI 16L3 and I have to remove CPU heatsink, but I just can't do it. CPU seems to be stuck. It is glued so hard I can lift whole notebook by holding the CPU part of heatsink.. It's weird, since it was factory pasted with some liquid metal and adhesion shouldn't be that huge I suppose. I can't move it even by a little. Maybe they used some kind of adhesive substance to create a dam for liquid metal and it has glued to heatsink? Do you have any ideas what can be reason and how to detach it safely?

 

I would try first to hot the heatsink with a dryer...

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Thanks, I've just tried it, drying for a 2 minutes, heatsink got pretty hot, but it still wasn't able to move it. Maybe I have to warm it up even longer? I'm worried if I could damage other components on the mobo this way, with a hairdryer.

 

95% chance you're missing a screw somewhere. Very common mistake. Or you didn't turn a screw fully enough.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking as well... Here is which screws I see:



In Total: 8 screws.
Four big ones I wasn't able tu fully unscrew, but that's by design I think. I'm sure I've unscrew them properly, as there was a space between screw and mount point, I can put a paper slice there.
Smaller ones allowed me to remove GPU heatsink. Are there more of them somewhere?

 

Yes, the GPU screws and the ones around there. You can't see they are attached?

 

Yes, I see them, I have no problem with GPU heatsink, it comes out easily. Only CPU part with big 4 screws seems to be stuck. Is there any 5th screw for the CPU? Heatsink doesn't even bend by a little, it feels like it's soldered to CPU itself so I can't find which point exactly keeps it in place.

 

I see screws that are still attached above the CPU..
Isn't that heatpipe going from the CPU attached to the GPU VRM area? I see a small screw there.
Other than that I really don't know.

 

No there are only those 4 screw holding the CPU heatsink doennafter you remove the GPU heatsink and bridge heatsink.

The CPU heatsink can be a total ***** to remove. I’ve had it stuck as well before. The problem is that you haven’t fully remove the heatsink screw, or fully loosened it. Pressed down on the screws as you twist and try again. I mean really press down. Also you need to use more force than you think to lift it up to remove it.

 

This works pretty well...

(KIDDING)

 

Yes, better stay safe and don't go beyond that.

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Hi, lurker here. Were you able to get the heatsink off? Eurocom usually uses IC diamond, which has a clay-like consistency when cooled. To remove the heatsink on my Tornado F5, I run my computer and let the CPU heat the thermal compound (run a benchmark or something). After that, remove the GPU heatsink, then loosen the screws on the CPU heatsink. You sort of need to twist it back and forth gently while lifting up. Think of it like releasing a vacuum, once you get some air in there, it should pop off.

 

I always remove the GPU heatsink when removing the CPU heatsink. Hold it by the fin area of the heat exchanger and use the other hand where the main part of the CPU heatsink is and slowly wiggle until it comes off. My GPU was pretty tight getting off, but after constant on/off pressure it came off.

 

I give up guys, nothing helps and I wont risk damaging heatsink or mobo using more force. Whole mobo bends and crackles when I pull heatsink up. I tried heating CPU up with benchmarks, nothing helps. I think they used superglue or something to create a dam to be sure that liquid metal won't spill from IHS over the mobo. Temps are good, I don't want to mess cooling as well. I was only trying to replace WiFi card with Hackintosh-compatibile one, I can live with USB WiFi. Anyway, thanks for help.

 

try to move the heatsink side to side instead of pulling up ?

 

Yeah, there should be no other screws, you're seeing them all.
They can be a pain to remove, but I recommend following @Talon 's suggestions.