Hey folks!  Loving my 980ti - 4995 (SC+ ACX+ w/bp) but I just got it for a new build and want to get everything I can out of my components.  I have about 3g of Gelid GC-Extreme (non-conductive) left from my pc build and would like to use it on my card but I cant find anything that SPECIFICALLY says I NEED to replace the thermal pads that I assume are covering the memory.  I'd hate to have difficulty getting the cooler off just to find out I damaged something I cant replace on the spot.  It'll be a few days before I have the time to tinker with it all and I cant find much information on this specific card but I was hoping someone could give some sage advice. 
 

• SO, do I order replacement pads before I try this and if so, where can I get them? 
• Is this cooler any different from previous generations/other vendors that will allow me to instead perhaps use my thermal paste in lieu of the pads? 

 
Glad to share what I learn in a couple of days if I get adventurous on my own.

As someone else has mentioned be careful removing the shroud so you can remove the thermal without damaging them and re-using them. You do not need new ones as they stated. Next do not use AC5 or any conductive thermal compound, the reason being is there are resistors surrounding the chip die itself and if you use a conductive thermal compound and it gets a little messy for whatever reason and those resistors start crossing electric signals you can kiss your gpu goodbye.

look at the chip itself you can see it is surrounded by the resistors. You do not want to apply the thermal compound to the heatsink for the gpu, or any aftermarket. See the black chip in the center you will want to use a smaller than a pea drop and spread it evenly using the none sharp side of a razer blade  to spread it evenly on the chip die itself only in a very thin thin layer. Owning many gpus like this though the years this gives the best thermal application result for exposed chips. I would suggest something like MX2-MX4 but any none conductive TIM will work, MX2-4 is just my personal favorite.

donta1979
As someone else has mentioned be careful removing the shroud so you can remove the thermal without damaging them and re-using them. You do not need new ones as they stated. Next do not use AC5 or any conductive thermal compound, the reason being is there are resistors surrounding the chip die itself and if you use a conductive thermal compound and it gets a little messy for whatever reason and those resistors start crossing electric signals you can kiss your gpu goodbye.

look at the chip itself you can see it is surrounded by the resistors. You do not want to apply the thermal compound to the heatsink for the gpu, or any aftermarket. See the black chip in the center you will want to use a smaller than a pea drop and spread it evenly using the none sharp side of a razer blade  to spread it evenly on the chip die itself only in a very thin thin layer. Owning many gpus like this though the years this gives the best thermal application result for exposed chips. I would suggest something like MX2-MX4 but any none conductive TIM will work, MX2-4 is just my personal favorite.

+1
 
Spread the TIM, you will NOT be able to move the heat sink like on a CPU.
 
Love the results of Arctic MX-4  This stuff seems to never dry out even after several years of OC use.