Xbox 360 X Clamp fix - Part2 - How to fit the x-clamp kit

[joshwadey209]

Okay so I did all of this and after I turned my Xbox on and it didn't have the red rings but it still froze at start up and it sounded like the fan was getting louder. What do I do? Could the Xbox just be done with and should I buy a new one?

[xclampfix]

@joshwadey209 Sounds like it's close to working. I would loosen the bolts and then overheat for 5 mins with the fans unplugged and then cool 20 mins before tightening the bolts up and seeing if that sorts it. If not it may need a heatgun fix to get it properly working (see the vid on my channel).

[joshwadey209]

So I need 8 bolts 8 spring washers and 16 flat washers and artic thermal paste? Can you tell me the sizes of the bolts and washers please

[xclampfix]

@joshwadey209 m5 everything - so m5 bolts (10mm long), m5 washers (1.05mm thick) and m5 spring washers. I avoid Arctic 5 as it's too thick to spread to the edges of the chip - works well on CPU heat spreaders but direct on to a chip not so good so better to use a more fluid type of paste like the Antec silicone compound in this vid.

[bmxbooster]

is this for 3 red lights or e74 1 red light?

[xclampfix]

@bmxbooster usually the x-clamp fix works for 3 red light errors. e74 is sometimes the GPU in which case this would fix it and other times it's the ANA chip (above the GPU so you'd need to heatgun (just look at my video on that on my channel) and after that fit an x-clamp kit.

[SuperUKgaming]

@xclampfix hi im bmxbooster on a different account, i bought a heat gun did followed your tutorials, and my xbox now works, so thanks alot i subscribed :)

[vkumar2695]

which spring washers are needed? i see some that are "bowed" and i see different sizes like m5 and m7...which type is recommended?

[xclampfix]

@vkumar2695 m5 spring washers or split washers as some call them

[vkumar2695]

@xclampfix alright and are they suppose to align back into place when i screw them on?

[xclampfix]

@vkumar2695 they should squeeze down to make pressure against the board and hold the heatsinks down thru the many cycles of hot and cold.

[changospank1]

what kind of symptoms does a bad capacitor show? i see some expanded on a 0031 error xbox. loosened everything up and still getting the error.

[xclampfix]

@changospank1 xbox stops working! aha! but seriously. Could be any error based on where the cap has blown. If the top looks bowed up a lot it's gone, if a little then it's on its way out.

[changospank1]

@xclampfix cool this is what i got: i can keep it on for a long time with just some simple stuff going (i played the credits from borderlands) then i load my game and within a few minutes i get the three lights. i see a cap with some reddish brown stain by the tall heatsink there is a cluster of three the one in the middle. youve ever seen this error caused by that cap? i read you have fixed quite a few so maybe this combo has come up. thanks for your help.

[xclampfix]

@changospank1 Yes, you have a leaking cap. If you have a spare totally stuffed motherboard then you could cut a cap off that one and solder it on. I've found getting the exact rated caps to be a bit of a pain! The caps regulate the power flow thru the board so my guess is that as soon as the console does anything taxing the power ramps up and boom - RROD.

[MaxReinsch]

Just noticed the other video. My bad. =P

[MaxReinsch]

Is this the best way to fix an xbox with the E74 error?

[arturo21rayado]

Hi there, i ordered last week the Antec Thermal Grase Silicone Compounds which one im waiting it to recieve it, but yesterday a friend gave me a big tube of Arctic Silver 5 Compound that he won't use anymore, so i've heard that both compounds are good, but i really want to know which one is better and why, so please tell my which one you prefer and your reasons, because if i have the posibility to use the best one i want to do it.

Thanks!

[xclampfix]

@arturo21rayado Having fixed hundreds of consoles I can honestly say the Antec White paste in this vid is better. The Arctic 5 Silver is great in COMPUTER applications but not the Xbox 360 as you are applying the paste directly to the chip, not to the heatspreader. Arctic 5 is too thick and doesn't give a good spread. I used it in the beginning but kept getting consoles returned after a few weeks.

[MrAkw17]

THANKS BRO THIS WORKED!

[ophph]

What's the broad term for the gel you used to put on the chips for the gpu and the cpu?

[xclampfix]

@ophph I use turpentine solution (or white spirit also) to clean the gunk off and then alcohol handwash (unscented) to give a good mirror finish ready for the thermal paste.

[yovanny15]

i gotta question soo does this fix the dvd error like the one when u put a game in it reads it as a dvd plz respond thx

[xclampfix]

@yovanny15 No, this fixes the overheating issue. DVD probs are either dust - so take the player apart and clean it up with a tissue and some alcohol handwash - or the laser head being out of alignment. Look up 'Xbox 360 Unplayable Disc Fix, NOT a magnet issue' on Youtube as that may also be the prob.

[jnew09ful]

After the xclamp mod my xbox keeps overheating after 5 min. Why is that?

[xclampfix]

@jnew09ful Did you tighten up the bolts/screws after applying the kit? You need to overheat with the fans unplugged for 5 mins, cool 20 mins and then tighten bolts up. But if it's all working after the kit is on then you just tighten the bolts up.

[F4stMind]

So after I done this, do I have to overhead the xbox or does it work right away?

[xclampfix]

@F4stMind sometimes it works fine. other times you need to unplug the fans and overheat for 5 mins (cool 25).

[F4stMind]

@xclampfix ok thanks! nice totorial btw :)

[F4stMind]

So after I done this, do I have to overhead the xbox or does it work right away?

[xclampfix]

@F4stMind some work straightaway - then just tighten bolts. Otherwise unplug fans, overheat for 5 mins, cool 20 and then tighten bolts.

[wakko1999]

@xclampfix posting my follow up here under the correct video... thanks for your response. How tight should the bolts be after hand tightening them? I.e. when I install a new faucet or repair a hose on my washer, the instructions will say 'hand tighten and then tighten a quarter turn with a crescent wrench' or something to that effect. I do not want to over or under tighten the bolts

[xclampfix]

@wakko1999 Good question. V important not to overtighten. Once the bolts stop turning using an easy light grip with a spanner then maybe 1/8th turn more and you're done. If it goes 'crack' you've over-tightened! :)

[NickTheGC]

What are "spring washers?" can I just use one normal washer instead? And do you have any alternatives to the spring washer?

[xclampfix]

@NickTheGC the spring washer is a split washer that is there to give a constant pressure against whatever is tightened against it. In this case it maintains the bolts' tightness through countless cycles of heating and cooling and stops it from slipping loose and giving a return of RROD... which is why using a standard washer is inadvisable. If you have to just go without the washer and see how it goes. May only last months rather than years tho.

[tailwhip3601]

wat size bolts and washers do i need ?

[xclampfix]

@tailwhip3601 mentioned in the vid at the end and also in comments below - m5 bolts and washers. bolts are 10mm long.

[NickTheGC]

hey your videos are far the best on youtube. i love all of your handy tips :) but i have some questions...

1. I thought using metal washers screws up the board

2.is this thermal paste good? go to trademe dottt co doot nz and search 400292903

3. what heatgun should i buy?

4. i forgot to add tape when removing the xclamps and made a small scratch... i cant fix that one anymore? what can i do?

thanks soooo much! :D

[xclampfix]

@NickTheGC 1. Metal washers won't screw up the board. they won't expand like nylon ones which WILL screw up the fix in 1-2 months!

2. No! That thermal paste is absolute tat! It's the stuff most xclamp ebayers sell. Avoid and get something that costs $5+.

3. I got a cheap B&Q one for £25 but Amazon sell one for £15 or so.

4. If you slipped and the scratch goes through the light green trace lines then it's v hard to fix. You could try a silver touch-up pen (the ones made for electrical jobs).

[blackoutuu]

@NickTheGC copper trace is cut, then repair it. soldering iron and wire is all you need

[eddiewax]

@xclampfix by spring washer do u mean split or lock washer? Thanks

[xclampfix]

@eddiewax split washer

[justcallmegod2]

I just bought a kit on ebay with 'stars' thermal paste, is this considered to be a good thermal paste? Otherwise i might go out to buy some better paste before i start the repair!

[xclampfix]

@justcallmegod2 Hell no! Stars is absolute TAT!! It costs 1p per sachet. Might as well use toothpaste! Get something like the Antec paste I use or a silver paste like Antec Formula 5 or Arctic 5 Silver - spread it to the edges of the chip like I show in the vid and then a rice-size amount in the middle.

[iTheGeek]

@xclampfix Hey man. I really appreciate your video, it has really helped a lot. But I've got a couple of questions. Feel free to not respond as I know it can be irritating answering questions from newbies. When you say you used isopropyl alcohol would ArtiClean do a better job? And when you list m5x10 bolts is that the model or is m5 the model and x10 means 10 of those m5 bolts (and if m5x10 is the model how many would you need?). Also, when you said "you need 1.05mm washers (16 of them) and

[xclampfix]

@iTheGeek 1) Articlean is expensive and nail polish remover or turps are cheaper and do the same job. The isopropyl alcohol (or alcohol handwash) is just the finishing touch to polish the chips to a nice shine.

2) the bolts are m5 type and 10mm long. That way they don't twist the GPU heatsink fins and mess up the airflow. You need 8. 3) 8 spring washers also m5. 4) 16 m5 washers 1.05mm thick - so not the DIN125 China imported stuff that is 0.9-1mm thick as that will over-stress the board.

[xTheV1P3RxRK0x]

i thought the motherboard get hot n flexes.because i drilled out the holes in the metal box.there's a lot of different opinions out there.not sure which 1 is better.i know when i took it apart they had the little black screws connected to the old x-clamps.

also i bought artic silver 5 but i have wait for it in the mail. :(

last time i used thermal compound from radio shack.

[xclampfix]

@xTheV1P3RxRK0x board does get hot and does flex. Microsoft say that the substrate can't handle the heat - bad design flaw! But If you tie the board into the metal case you'll exacerbate the problem. Bolts resting on the inside of the case stop it flexing downward while being firmly bolted into the heatsinks stops upward flex. Add a thinner layer of QUALITY thermal paste that the thick MS thermal pads adn you reduce the heat buildup by 5-10 degrees easily over stock.

[ian559fresno]

Thanks for this great guide...one question...what happens if you use too much thermal paste? Also, is silicone based thermal good? Thanks again :)

[xclampfix]

@ian559fresno No probs! And the silicone Antec white paste I use in the vid is good stuff. Otherwise use a silver paste. Something like Arctic 5 Silver is quite thick so you need to make sure it spreads in a THIN layer and to the edges of each chip.

[ian559fresno]

@xclampfix thank you again :) I fixed 3 xbox's for friends and family with this guide!

[xXBasshunterXx1]

dont u have to drill holes in the metal casing so that you can fit the bolts in because there only ment for those little screws

[xclampfix]

@xXBasshunterXx1 only with a completely rubbish x-clamp kit! With the ones I used to sell you get m5x10 bolts and the bolts sits within the case - so that way when/if the metal case gets hot and flexes it's not going to pull the board with it. You did watch the vid, right?!!

[xclampfix]

the x-clamp kit replaces Microsoft's x-clamps (which don't do a good job) with bolts and washers to clamp the heatsinks down properly. So, yes! That and some decent thermal paste means you should help prevent your xbox getting RROD again. Just beware all the sellers on eBay with their rubbish kits and cheap thermal paste pretending they're selling you gold dust!