"Easy" way to lower MEGA 180 CPU Temp

Question

Let me start off by saying I haven't done this yet but I think it would work.  I built a Mega 180 based machine for a customer and have had nothing but problems with it.  I got a call from her last night to tell me that the CPU temp on the display is in the 70 C range and she is getting nervous about it (frankly, so am I).  I'm picking up the PC from her in a few days to see if I can lower the CPU temp any.  Here's what I'm thinking of doing:
1) Since I already lapped the bottom of the heatsink and used Artic Silver thermal grease, there's nothing else I can do in that area.  It's already optimal.
2) The heatsink is 100% copper with lots of cooling fins.  There isn't a better thermal material for a heatsink, within reason.  Aluminum is no good.  Basically, the design of the heatsink is good, but not perfect.  First, why they would design the sink to suck hot air off of the video card and blow it through the fins is beyond me.  Naturally, the CPU will never be cooler than the air that's being used to cool it.  The heat sink needs fresh, cool air.
3) To provide the heatsink with fresh cool air I plan on first, turing the big fan on the sink around so it blows out, not in.  Second, I plan on replacing the little fan with a bigger fan and position it so it blows in, not out.  Then I plan on making a short duct that attaches over the fan on the right (with the front of the PC facing you) and extend the duct a few inches to the right so it is less than an inch from the side of the case.  Lastly, I plan on using some lexan and making a very small deflector to put on the heatsink's exhaust fan.  It will be about 1/2 inch wide and as long as the fan (80mm?).  It will be tilted at a 45 degree angle.  The deflector will channel the hot air away from the video card and towards the front left side of the case.  This will avoid trading one heat problem (CPU) for another (video card).
If all goes well, a drop of 10 C under maximum load should be achieved.  I'll let you know how this turns out.
I may also try the following:
1) Buy some RAM heat sinks and using thermal glue, glue them to the hard drive.
2) Position a 40mm fan so it blows on the heat sinks on the hard drive.
3) Position another 40mm fan so it blows across the chipset's heat sink.

Answer 1

god damn thats a great idea, why didnt I think of that  
I lapped my heatsink last weekend, the hardware store where i got my sand paper didnt have any grid over 600 so I had to settle with that.  But I'm still pleased with the results. I figured that that plus some some Artic Silver 5 would get me a bit on my way.
I would have documented it with my camera if the batteries just wasnt out :/
At the same time I installed a "silent" 15db@1500rpm 80x80mm Everflow fan on the left side of the case (when facing the front) that blows the air in. All of these efforts improved the temperature just a bit. The noise increased a bit but it isnt all that much trouble consithering I've spent my last couple of months with my ears next to a server that has the lovely sound level of around 60db (note: no case fans on the server at all)
As I recall the idle temperature used to be over 60c and now it sometimes drops below 50c. But most of the times its around 53-55c (all of this is at around 25c ambient temperature). But the heat problem while gaming is still a huge problem. When it hits around 70 the computer crashes.
But before my efforts to do something about it, it would die within 10min of high load. Now it can take up to about an hour (depending on how the ambient temperature is).
Next up I think I'm gonna try out your idea. Switch the fans, and maybe even install another Everflow fan having 4 fans totaly pulling the air through the case (but from right to left this time :P)
why call it MSI Entertainment Gaming Applicance if you cant entertain yourself by gaming on it ? =P
/Wezz