PlayStation 3 Slim Thermal Paste Replacement

Written By: Theodore Brooks

Comments: 5

PlayStation 3 Slim Thermal Paste Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

This guide will show you how to access and replace the thermal paste of a Sony PlayStation 3 Slim console (CECH-3001B), also referred to as the PS3. This guide is designed to teach general console maintenance techniques.

Thermal paste helps to eliminate air gaps or spaces from the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) on the console's motherboard to maximize heat transfer and heat dissipation within the console. You may need to replace the thermal paste for a device if it begins to repeatedly overheat during normal operation, so knowing how to access it can help save time and money.

Before following this guide, make sure your PS3 console is powered off and disconnected from any external power source.

Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly right after handling the thermal paste.

Tools

Parts

Thermal Paste

Step 1

Flip the console over to remove each screw from the console's underside casing.
Use a spudger to gently pry open and remove the screw covers. Use a Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the screws underneath the screw covers.
Use a Phillips #0 screwdriver to remove the screw underneath the console's void warranty sticker.
Use a Torx #8 screwdriver to remove the four screws along the edge of the console.

Step 2

A rectangular panel near the warranty sticker can be lifted by hand. It is fixed to the console's outer cover, and will rotate once lifted, so be careful when opening it. This panel covers a blue-headed screw shown in the image.
You should have twelve screws in total. Put them aside in a safe place to use for reassembly.

Step 3

Flip the console over and remove the console's hard drive panel. Press firmly on it with your thumb and slide it to the right to unlatch it.
This panel has a few vents directly under it.

Step 4

Use your thumb and index finger to angle the latch of the hard drive away from the console.
Pull the entire drive out of the slot.
You may initially feel some resistance.

Step 5

Place the console down. Use a spudger to gently pry open the left side of the console while lifting the right side with your hands.
The cover will come loose with a pop.
The top cover may not immediately be loose, and this will be most noticeable with its left side. Do not immediately try to pry off the cover. Doing so may damage the casing.

Step 6

Remove the cover and rotate the console as shown.

Step 7

Disconnect the two wires beside the power supply.

Power supply

Branden Bailey -

Step 8

Remove the two Phillips #0 screws hidden beneath the wires beside the power supply.

Step 9

With both hands, firmly grasp and gently lift the power supply from both sides.
Be careful when lifting the power supply, as two long metallic prongs run through it, locking it in place. This will cause resistance while lifting. Lift the power supply vertically until it is completely clear of these prongs to avoid damaging them or the power supply.

Step 10

Disconnect the three ribbon cables and two coaxial cables just under the Blu-ray player.
To remove the ribbon cables, gently remove them from each of their sockets by pulling them up by the vertical flap. For additional help disconnecting various types of cables, refer to Recognizing and Disconnecting Cable Connectors.
When reconnecting the ribbon cables, it is best to use tweezers to avoid bending them.

Step 11

Use a spudger to unsnap the black and white coaxial cables from their sockets on the motherboard. Pry them off by lifting them close to the point they are attached, applying little force.
Avoid using a screwdriver as shown in the photo. It is not ESD-safe and could damage the motherboard.
To reaffix the wires, line the ends up with the pins, then firmly press down with your finger, snapping it into place.

Haciendo esto el conector se arrancó de la placa madre llevándose parte de las pistas consigo, dañando así mi PS3, ahora tengo que rehacer las pistas y soldar otro conector para conectar la antena. No lo hagan de esa forma. En vez de hacer palanca por un solo lado, tienen que tirar desde arriba el conector. Si hacen palanca desde el lado cerca de donde conecta harán que se quiebre ya que la antena está hecha para calzar perfectamente estando alineado con el conector. No para ser conectado/desconectado tirando desde un solo lado.

Sergio Marin -

Step 12

Remove the black Phillips #0 screw securing the blu-ray player.

Step 13

Rotate the console 180°. Lift the console's button tray by its curved edge and use a spudger under it to pry it out. It will pop off this way.
Using only your hands may damage this piece, due to the Blu-ray player partially covering it.
The button tray has a cable that is still attached to the console, so it cannot be moved very far. For now, lay the piece upside down as shown in the third image. This cable connects to a plug underneath the blu-ray player.

Step 14

DO NOT lift the blu-ray disk reader too high or you will break the ribbon cable underneath it.
Gently lift the disk reader.
Carefully reach underneath to detach the cable from the motherboard.

Step 15

Disconnect the small cable connecting the button tray to the motherboard.

Step 16

Move the black and white cables away from the motherboard.
The cables are kept in place by hooks in the motherboard panel. Be careful to pull them around the hooks so that they do not snag.

Step 17

Remove the five Phillips #0 screws on the motherboard case.
There are two different color of screws used here, so keep track of them when storing.

Step 18

Lift up the motherboard panel from the console's case.
You can safely lift the assembly by holding the fan.
The metal piece indicated may become loose after removing the assembly from the case. Note its placement and orientation for when it's time to reassemble.

Step 19

Unplug the cable connecting the fan to the motherboard.

Step 20

Flip the motherboard assembly over.

Step 21

Remove the screws holding the heat sink clamps in place using a Phillips #0 screwdriver.
When screwing the heat sink clamps back onto the motherboard assembly, follow an alternating pattern by partially screwing each side of a clamp at a time. Do this for both clamps. This ensures that the thermal paste spreads evenly.

Step 22

Remove the remaining screws on the assembly.

Step 23

Remove the back plate from the motherboard.

Step 24

Separate the motherboard from the rear portion of the assembly case.
Watch out for the curved portion of the rear assembly indicated. This has slots for various ports on the motherboard. When lifting the motherboard, you may need to move it away from this piece for it to freely come loose.
When lifting the motherboard, the thermal paste may make it difficult to remove. If so, carefully pry from two sides near the center.
Be cautious when prying the motherboard. Excessive force WILL break the motherboard.

Step 25

Use Isopropyl Alcohol with napkins or Alcohol wipes to gently clean off the old thermal paste on the heat sinks, Central Processing Unit (CPU), and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
You may need to use multiple Alcohol dampened napkins/wipes to fully clean the old thermal paste off.
DO NOT use water to clean any of these parts, only alcohol. Additionally, avoid soaking the napkin to prevent excessive liquid on the console. Be sure to let the console dry after cleaning it with the alcohol wipes.

Step 26

Apply about half a gram of Thermal Paste onto the center of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and another half a gram on the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
The paste can be applied in any pattern.
Applying more than the specified amount of Thermal Paste may render its application useless.
DO NOT apply Thermal Paste to the heat sink.

Is there any info on how to remove those heatsinks on top of the cpus to put thermal paste on them?

Nash -

Step 27

Place the motherboard back into the case. Line up the processing units to the heat sink as shown.
You do not need to press down firmly. Screwing the heat sink clamps back on will ensure the paste spreads evenly.
Starting from step 22, follow this guide's steps in reverse order all the way to step 1 to reassemble the PS3.
Be sure to refer to step 21 when screwing the heat-sink clamps.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order, starting from Step 22.

Author

Theodore Brooks

Member since: 24/10/23

545 Reputation

2 comments

Hola podria aclarar donde van los termal pads!? Exelente información!

Marcos J. Sanchez - 07/04/24

Very nice guide but just a small note for the cech 3001a model, most of the screws are Phillips 1 screws, and for the case screws and heat sink bracket screws, they are Phillips 2 screws. Also a trick for getting the disk drive back in, if you open the ribbon cable bracket that's under the drive, you can gravity feed the ribbon cable in until it bottoms out, then using a long thin spudger you can press the bracket down

runnerman15 - 24/11/24