X-clamp Problem. Options

[Clayx]

Hey guys, just signed up to the forum as this seems like the right place for this question

I've previously fixed a 360 with the RROD using the X-Clamp mod and it worked perfectly fine and is still going strong after 4 months, however i was given a faulty 360 by someone who no longer needed it as it had the RROD

It was error 0102, so i just overheated it and it worked for about 5 minutes before freezing and then started freezing on the 360 load up.

It had been fixed before using the X-clamp mod by a shop, when i opened it up it was a mess, there was no thermal paste, Far too many washers and tape stuck everywhere and huge screws, so i figured i'd order the kit from E-bay and do it myself again.

I've just finished, doing the washers and paste etc... and put it back together to overheat again and when i turn it on it blinks with 2 red lights on the left hand side, and then turns itself off (still blinking)

I tried plugging the fans back in, switched it on, the fans run, but then it still shuts down after about 5 seconds of the lights blinking.

I'm not sure where i've gone wrong, i've put the thermal paste on exactly as i did last time, i put it on all 3 chips instead of two (i think i did this the last time aswell) so i'm not sure if that's the problem.

Any ideas on where i've gone wrong?

Thanks for any suggestions guys

EDIT: The code it gives me now is 0011

This post has been edited by Clayx: Jul 30 2008, 05:32 PM

[fear30x]

its all trial and error go recheck your work and dont torque the screw down, check the washers are in the right place..

[Wilhelm_I]

It is the CPU, make sure it is making good contact with the heatsink...
Reapply thermal compound and make sure you clean the chip dies to a mirror finish.
Only apply thermal compound of the size of a rice grain and then evenly spread it out with a creditcard, the finer the layer, the better it conducts the heat when you are done...

[Clayx]

Cheers guys, it took me 4 hours to finally get it up and running..

After taking it apart time and time again i noticed that the thermal paste under the heat sink hadn't been pressed like on the other bit. (Should have been obvious from the start but what can you do )

So i only used one washer under the mobo and one above it, it's got it working and the fan's a lot steadier.

Not sure why it didn't work with the spring washer under and two normal above on this 360 though.

I also made the mistake of not noticing that there was 4 bolts slightly longer than the other four and i had mixed them up.

[Clayx]

Well it's died again.

I turned it on today and the 3 red lights show up, so i turned it off to start overheating it to set the chips again, but there was a bit of a strange solder smell, so i tried turning it on again and now the green light comes on and the fans power up and then it turns itself off after a couple of seconds.

So i tightened up the bolts and turned it on again and it showed 3 red lights and before i got the code it turned itself off again, i've messed around with the tightness/amount of washers etc... and it still wont power up fully.

Not sure what's went wrong, kinda worried that the smell meant something's completely broke

I've tried searching the forums and i can't find a thread with any advice on this.

Anyone got an idea of what i can try to get it up and running again? It just seems strange how it can work fine for two days then just stop.

Any advice greatly appreciated

[Clayx]

Okay so i think it's officially dead now...

What i forgot to mention was that the first time i tightened the screws with the spring washers (a little too much) was that when i loosened them to take them off, the spring washers had dug in and scraped bits of the copper circle around the holes off.

I didn't think it would be that much of a problem, however i've just turned it on again after doing the paste and sorting the washers out and bolts perfectly etc..

Heard a popping sound and now the motherboard is completely scorched around the copper hole.


I'm guessing it's beyond repair now? It still turns on and i get 3 lights with the 0001 error code.



This post has been edited by Clayx: Aug 4 2008, 04:35 PM

[Wilhelm_I]

Okay so i think it's officially dead now...

What i forgot to mention was that the first time i tightened the screws with the spring washers (a little too much) was that when i loosened them to take them off, the spring washers had dug in and scraped bits of the copper circle around the holes off.

I didn't think it would be that much of a problem, however i've just turned it on again after doing the paste and sorting the washers out and bolts perfectly etc..

Heard a popping sound and now the motherboard is completely scorched around the copper hole.
I'm guessing it's beyond repair now? It still turns on and i get 3 lights with the 0001 error code.

Yep sounds like it is indeed dead now probably something is shorting out now, might also be the heatsink or so but there is only a small chance that this is the reason...

[Clayx]

Okay thanks, at least i've learned the lesson of not making the screws too tight now, especially using metal spring washers

Just pleased that i got this 360 free anyway and i've still got another working one.

Any bits worth salvaging from the 360/motherboard for future repairs or putting on Ebay?

[Wilhelm_I]

If you repair a lot of 360s Id recommend that you keep it otherwise put the thing on Ebay and give it to someone else who needs parts...